Lionel Messi Still Sends Shockwaves Through Barcelona Five Years After His Dramatic Exit

Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart has acknowledged that he "went too far" in his criticism of Lionel Messi over the Argentine's apparent reluctance to make an official return to his former club.

Gaspart—the man who oversaw Barça when Messi joined as a 13-year-old in 2000—took aim at the eight-time Ballon d'Or recipient for staying away from Catalonia, suggesting that Messi's distance from the club that shaped his legendary career stems from an unresolved conflict with current president Laporta.

It's no secret that the bond between Messi and Laporta was severely strained by the superstar's stunning departure in the summer of 2021, during the club's deepest financial crisis. His only farewell at the time was a press conference, where an emotional Messi delivered a tearful speech before leaving.

Messi was denied the opportunity for a proper send-off in front of supporters at Camp Nou and has returned to the stadium just once since—and even then, it was under the cover of night during ongoing renovation works.

Speculation has grown that Messi will not come back to Barça for any formal ceremony until Laporta steps down as president—rumors that Gaspart helped fuel during a recent podcast appearance.

'Who Does He Think He Is'—Gaspart's Extraordinary Outburst

Addressing the speculation surrounding a delayed Messi tribute, Gaspart took aim at the 39-year-old on the podcast Sólo para Culés.

"He is a great player, the best in the world, partly—I won't say what percentage—thanks to Barça," Gaspart said. "Therefore, he cannot forget that. Because of that, I'm still giving him a grace period, but a day will come when it will start to bother me if Mr. Messi puts even the slightest obstacle in the way of coming to Barça to say goodbye to the fans.

"Whoever the president may be, he must come and say goodbye to Barça. If Leo Messi only comes to say goodbye the day Laporta is no longer here, and refuses to come because Laporta is the president, I wouldn't give him a tribute. Who does he think he is? To make coming to Barcelona conditional on whether Laporta is there or not. If Laporta wasn't there [because of that condition], I wouldn't attend that tribute."

He continued: "I say this out of the deep affection I have for a player I signed when he was 13 years old and I was the president of Barça. He should be careful. Barça is bigger than him."

Gaspart Admits He Went Overboard

Gaspart's remarks about Messi sparked considerable debate within the Barcelona community, with Marc Ciria—a candidate in the recent presidential race—accusing Gaspart of "blaming the greatest player in the history of football and Barça."

In a subsequent appearance on the same podcast, Gaspart stopped short of issuing a formal apology but acknowledged he had overstepped in his criticism, while maintaining that no one holds Messi in higher regard than he does.

"I've never apologized to my children when I've criticized them for something I thought was best for them," he said. "You can love Messi as much as I do, but you can't love Messi more than I do ... I sent Leo a message, and because I love him so much ... I went too far, I went too far.

"Telling him 'we love you very much, but Barça is bigger than you.' That could have been the end of it."

Will Messi Get a Proper Barcelona Send Off?

Messi's farewell appearance for Argentina in front of a packed crowd in Buenos Aires earlier this month—a spectacular event featuring fireworks, a drone display and emotional scenes—served as a stark reminder of the send-off he never received from Barcelona.

Messi's 778th and final Barcelona appearance came on the second-to-last matchday of the 2020–21 La Liga season, a match La Blaugrana lost 2–1 to Celta Vigo.

It was a subdued occasion due to the absence of fans under COVID pandemic restrictions, and nobody realized at the time that Messi would never wear the iconic shirt again, with his departure becoming a sudden and shocking development in the summer that followed.

As a result, there has been growing demand over the years for Messi to return and receive a fitting tribute from the supporters, who want to honor the man who helped deliver ten La Liga titles, four Champions League trophies and countless unforgettable moments to the club.

In September, Laporta told reporters that he intended to organize a tribute for Messi once the Camp Nou renovation was complete in 2028—pledging a ceremony before 105,000 fans—though no official confirmation of the event has been made.

That proposed timeline could coincide with the expiration of Messi's Inter Miami contract, which runs through 2028, and a possible retirement from professional soccer.