"At Camp Nou, Messi will never be whistled" - Ex-Barcelona president believes PSG superstar's return would be like Diego Maradona coming back to life
Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart would like to see Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) star Lionel Messi return to Barcelona in the summer.
The Argentine ace's contract with the Parisians expires in the summer and as per journalist Santi Aouna, he has refused to sign a new contract. Moreover, Barcelona are looking to find solutions to their financial situation to bring the club legend back to Camp Nou.
Former Barca president Gaspart has compared the PSG superstar's potential return to the late Diego Maradona 'coming back to life.' He said (via Barca Universal):
“Messi returning to Barcelona would be like Maradona coming back to life and playing for Barcelona at the age of 25. At Camp Nou, Messi will never be whistled.”
The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner was booed by the Parisian club's fans in their recent games. This comes after PSG's elimination from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Bayern Munich in the Round of 16.
Gaspart further added that even if the Argentine ace doesn't play, his return would be a big event for the Blaugrana. He said:
“I would have liked Messi to never leave Barcelona and not now to try to bring him back. Personally, I would be passionate about Messi returning to Barcelona. I would like him to sign for life with Barcelona, as an ambassador.
“It’s secondary whether he plays or not, but for me, the human side and the person is more important. Let him return in whatever capacity he wants.”
The 35-year-old scored 672 goals and provided 303 assists in 778 games for Barcelona. He won numerous trophies with the club, including four UEFA Champions League trophies and 10 La Liga titles, before leaving in 2021.
Lionel Messi's potential options in the summer
As per transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, the Argentina captain has received a massive €400 million offer from Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal. A potential move could see him continue his rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo, who currently plays for Al-Nassr, joining them in December 2022.
However, Romano has stated that the PSG man wants to continue his career in Europe. He also claimed that Barcelona are waiting to manage their finances and find solutions for the Financial Fair Play (FFP) before making an offer to the player.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner could also stay at PSG, but that appears more unlikely than ever. He has contributed 29 goals and 32 assists in 67 games for the Parisian club.