Lionel Messi made his return to Barcelona’s renovated Camp Nou stadium on Sunday and admitted his desire to say goodbye to the Blaugrana fans in person at some point in the near future.
Messi famously departed Barcelona in the summer of 2021 when the La Liga side were legally unable to renew his contract because of financial issues which have started to ease in the years that have followed.
Given the nature of his unplanned exit, Messi did not get the chance to bid farewell to fans inside Camp Nou, with a tearful press conference his only opportunity before he sealed his move to Paris Saint-Germain.
Four years later and Messi, now with Inter Miami, made his return to the Camp Nou turf on Sunday evening after leading the Herons through to the next round of the Major League Soccer playoffs.
Documenting his visit on social media, an emotional Messi made it clear he has not forgotten about his former employers as he vowed to see the stadium in full flow at some point.
“Last night I returned to a place I miss with all my heart,” Messi wrote. “A place where I was incredibly happy, where you all made me feel like the happiest person in the world a thousand times over.
“I hope I can return someday, and not just to say goodbye as a player, like I never got to…”
