Lionel Messi's brother has declared the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will never return to Barcelona so long as Joan Laporta is pulling the strings at Camp Nou.
Matias Messi has accused fans in Catalonia of betraying his sibling during his tearful Barca exit in 2021. Laporta returned to the club as president earlier that year on a mandate of convincing the Argentine legend to stay as his contract ran down.
The Blaugrana supremo was successful in the sense that Messi did indeed decide that he wanted to sign a new deal, but he was ultimately unable to do so due to the financial disarray which engulfed - and continues to engulf - the club. Messi was unable to pen a contract extension without Barca breaching LaLiga rules, and his exit was confirmed in early August 2021.
