FC Barcelona have had a dramatic 2025/26 season so far, for all the right and wrong reasons. Even off the pitch, things are not as straightforward as expected, with the return to the Spotify Camp Nou taking longer than expected.
Things have picked up pace in this regard in the last couple of days. Last Friday, Barcelona held an open training session in front of fans at the remodelled stadium, and the hope is that, subject to permissions, the club will return in an official capacity on 22 November against Athletic Bilbao.
Now, in a surprise development, club icon Lionel Messi has shared photos of himself at the new stadium on Instagram with a message to fans. Here is how it reads:
“Last night I returned to a place I miss with all my heart. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world. I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do…💙❤️”
The pain in Messi’s words is very evident. It still haunts both him and Barcelona fans that they never had one final swansong, and that he was not given the kind of farewell befitting the career he had in a Blaugrana jersey.
Since leaving Barcelona, the Argentinian maestro moved to PSG for a couple of seasons, won the World Cup with Argentina in Qatar in 2022, and then moved to Inter Miami in MLS, where he continues to defy logic with his performances.
Although a return to Barcelona as a player seems out of the question, fans would love to give Lionel Messi a belated tribute in front of a fully packed stadium. Even Joan Laporta hinted at the same in an interview last week.
The little magician’s return to the Camp Nou last night felt very special. Hopefully, it will not be long before Barcelona can honour him properly. Let us wait and see how the stars align to make it happen in the coming years.
We love you and miss you, Leo!
