(Reuters) -Barcelona president Joan Laporta has downplayed the possibility of Lionel Messi returning to the club, calling it unrealistic, following the Argentine's surprise visit to the revamped Camp Nou,
where he spent 21 years of his glittering career.
Messi, who joined Barca's youth academy as a 13-year-old and became their all-time leading scorer with 672 goals in 778 appearances, left the Catalan side in 2021 when they could not make it financially viable to keep him.
The 38-year-old World Cup winner, who now plays for Inter Miami, visited the iconic stadium on Sunday and expressed his desire to return there one day.
"I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do," the eight-times Ballon d'Or winner had said.
"Out of respect to Messi, all the club staff and the club members, it's not right for me to speculate on something that would not be realistic, and it's not the moment to do it," Laporta told Catalunya Radio on Wednesday.
During Messi's storied Barca career, he won 10 LaLiga titles, four Champions League crowns and three Club World Cups.
Messi, who moved to Paris St Germain on a free transfer after his Barca exit, extended his contract with Inter Miami in October and has previously hinted that the Major League Soccer club would likely be his last.
Laporta said that Barca would like to give Messi a tribute at Camp Nou once the renovations — set to expand the stadium's capacity to 105,000 — are completed.
"He's playing for Inter Miami. He knows he's loved and appreciated for who he is and that he'll always be welcome," Laporta said.
"It's only fair that he should have the best tribute in the world. It would be wonderful to have his tribute here, in front of 105,000 fans."
(Reporting by Pearl Josephine Nazare in Bengaluru; editing by Pritha Sarkar)
