Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona may have to wait.
After losing to FC Cincinnati last Saturday, Inter Miami head coach Tata Martino addressed the rumors that Messi could return to the Spanish club should Miami miss out on the playoffs.
With the loss, Miami has failed to make the postseason, currently sitting 14th in the Eastern Conference on 33 points. As the MLS offseason approaches, rumors have kicked into to gear, with many fans believing that Messi could make a shock loan move back to Spain.
Martino spoke about the rumor, saying: ” Is he going for fun? Maybe he’s going to visit Barcelona. Other than that, I don’t know anything else about it.”
The 2024 offseason in MLS could run for about 3 months, as the league usually gets started around early February.
Messi stays?
While it would be incredible to see Messi return to the club where he made his name, in actuality, a loan back to Barcelona wouldn’t be feasible.
Messi has been playing nonstop for over a year, including leading Argentina to their third World Cup title in December 2022. Additionally, at Inter Miami, the 36-year-old has suffered from a recurring hamstring injury, likely due to overexertion, and schedule congestion.
The Argentine has spoken to the media about how he wanted to return to Barcelona. Unfortunately, due to the club’s financial restraints, the World Cup winner opted to take his talents and family to South Florida instead.
Messi has, so far, enjoyed success in Fort Lauderdale, leading Inter Miami to their first trophy in club history, clinching the Leagues Cup title with a win over Nashville SC.
By all accounts, Messi says he’s happy in Miami and wants to help the team grow.
Sending him back to Barcelona would be wonderful to see, but it would only be for two and a half months before the start of the 2024 MLS season.