‘Xavi is right’ – Mateu Alemany adds to Lionel Messi and Barcelona return controversy

Former Barcelona sporting director Mateu Alemany has publicly backed Xavi Hernández’s assertion that Lionel Messi was on the brink of a Camp Nou return in 2023, intensifying the war of words surrounding the blocked transfer.

Speaking to Movistar, Alemany confirmed that the club had received assurances from LaLiga that Messi’s registration would be approved, aligning himself with the manager’s version of events. “Xavi Hernández is right,” Alemany stated. “They told us they had LaLiga’s approval for Leo Messi to return to Barça.”

The controversy erupted after Xavi claimed earlier this week that the Argentine had been “excited” about re-joining his boyhood club, only for president Joan Laporta to intervene and halt the operation. Laporta has since countered that Messi’s preference was always to sign for Major League Soccer side Inter Miami, while LaLiga president Javier Tebas has categorically denied that any green light was ever given, calling Xavi’s remarks “not true.”

With conflicting narratives dominating headlines, presidential hopeful Víctor Font has urged Messi to break his silence and clarify the sequence of negotiations. Font conceded, however, that the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is unlikely to enter the public fray.

As the saga rumbles on, the episode continues to cast a long shadow over Barcelona’s institutional stability and raises fresh questions about the decision-making processes at the highest level of the club.