The return of Leo Messi to Barça is beginning to be a popular outcry. After the declarations of the blaugrana leaders admitting the negotiations and the constant compliments of the azulgrana coach, Xavi Hernández, towards the Argentinian, came the request, unanimously, from the culé fans in the second leg of the semifinals of the Copa del Rey against him Real Madrid.
The Camp Nou, full to the brim, chanted Messi's name in the 10th minute in homage to the Rosario player's number, whose future has been on everyone's lips for months. At the moment he is a PSG player, but his contract ends on June 30 and his return to what was his sports home is an increasingly real possibility.
Messi seemed close to renewing with the Parisians at the end of the World Cup, there was even talk of a verbal agreement, but the umpteenth failure of PSG in the Champions League has caused the French club to rethink the entire project, as well as the continuity of the Argentine and Neymar, with a contract until 2027. L'Équipe recently reported that the ex-Barcelona player's contract extension was only feasible with a substantial reduction in his salary, currently 40 million a year.
Messi wants "guarantees on the Parisian project" to be able to sign an extension to his contract. The whistles from his own fans, in the preview of the matches against Rennes and Lyon, do not help to convince Messi either. Henry already expressed his annoyance at the attitude of the PSG fans and later Emmanuel Petit, also a former Barcelona player, spoke in the same vein.
The troubled river of the Parque de los Príncipes club moves the Argentine star away from Paris and fuels his possible return to Barça. The delicate economy of Barça does not allow offering a high salary to Messi, who, however, would arrive free next summer without renewing with PSG. The Barcelona entity is looking for ingenious formulas to accommodate his arrival, which include offering him part of the sponsorship benefits generated by his return.
In the last few hours, a dizzying offer from Saudi Arabia's Al Hilal of 400 million a year, an absolute record in football, has also emerged. Messi, however, wants to continue at the highest level and at Barça, in addition, he could close the wound that was left open when on August 5, 2021 he closed his stage of more than two decades as a blaugrana in tears.
