The Future of Messi and Barcelona: Financial Challenges and Tribute Plans

Barcelona’s ongoing financial challenges prevented the club from extending Lionel Messi’s contract. The club attributed his departure to financial and structural constraints imposed by La Liga regulations.

After leaving Barcelona, the 38-year-old forward enjoyed success at Paris Saint-Germain, winning two Ligue 1 titles, before moving to Inter Miami in 2023. He initially signed a two-and-a-half year contract with Miami, which he extended in October to stay until 2028.

Messi played a pivotal role in Miami’s victory in the 2025 MLS Cup and was named league MVP for the second consecutive year. Given his recent contract extension, a return to Barcelona in the near future seems highly unlikely.

Barcelona’s president, Joan Laporta, acknowledged that it is “unrealistic” for Messi to return, although he expressed a desire to host a tribute match for the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. “Speculating about his return is unrealistic and unfair, and I believe it’s not appropriate,” Laporta stated in an interview with Catalunya Radio last month.

Regarding the proposed tribute match following the completion of renovations at Spotify Camp Nou, the 63-year-old president emphasized the importance of honoring Messi in front of the club’s 105,000 fans, stating, “It would be right for him to receive the best tribute in the world, and it would be wonderful to have it here.”

Laporta’s political opponent, Marc Ciria, who leads the “Moviment 42” campaign, insists that Messi should return to Barcelona in some capacity as the club continues to navigate its significant financial difficulties. With a background in economics, Ciria sees himself as the ideal candidate to help resolve the club’s fiscal challenges.

In an exclusive interview with Spanish publication SPORT, Ciria revealed he is working on a plan for Messi’s return to Barcelona. When asked about potential communication with the Argentine superstar, he remarked, “Leo Messi is a multinational company, and it is enviable. We must take note of many aspects because he has top-level professionals in every area. This isn’t merely a casual meeting; it’s about proposing a real project where Leo Messi serves as a strategic partner for the club. The people in Messi’s circle have a vision for him to be a strategic ally in areas where we urgently need to enhance revenue.”

Ciria further elaborated on the potential impact of Messi’s return, stating, “Just one fact: we are generating €994 million in revenue. In the 2017-18 season, under what I consider to be the worst board of directors in the club’s history, we generated €990 million. If we merely account for inflation and the cost of living, Barça should be generating €1.2 billion in revenue today. If we do not acknowledge that Leo Messi is strategic—both for the present and the future of the club, as well as for preserving the ownership model—we are missing an important aspect of the sports world.”

However, Ciria acknowledged that the decision regarding Messi’s return as a player lies with the sporting management and Messi himself, stating, “That will be decided by the sporting management together with him, not by Marc Ciria. This changes things.

“I would love for Leo Messi to bid farewell stadium by stadium as a Barcelona player, but if that is not feasible, then I see him as an institutional and commercial figure who can provide us the resources we need.”

When asked if Messi had responded to his proposal, Ciria noted, “That’s for later. We will have answers in due time. I am confident that Leo wants to return to Barça, and Barça needs Leo.”

As Barcelona concluded the year at the top of La Liga, having achieved eight consecutive victories, they sit four points ahead of their rivals, Real Madrid. They will return to action this weekend with a match against local rivals Espanyol.