'I Hope it Happens': Lionel Messi's Father Ignites Speculation of Football Star's Barcelona Return
11:20 GMT 16.05.2022 (Updated: 11:44 GMT 10.12.2022)
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In a stunning sequence of events, Lionel Messi ended his 21-year association with his boyhood club Barcelona when he left Camp Nou for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last summer. The Argentina superstar even bid an emotional adieu to his supporters in Catalonia, but speculation about a possible return has continued to swirl.
Lionel Messi's father has fuelled speculation that the Copa America winner may make a Barcelona comeback after disclosing that he wished to see him playing for the Catalan giants once again.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or holder's dad, Jorge, was in conversation with Twitch channel Jijantes FC. When he was asked to share his views about his son's union with his erstwhile club, he replied: "I hope it [happens], someday."
The possibility of Messi making a move back to Spain has never perished with Barca's current manager Xavi, who shares a strong bond with the 34-year-old legendary footballer, acknowledging that the door can never be shut for his return to Camp Nou.
The comments from Messi's father come in the wake of his son's well-documented struggles in France.
While La Pulga was a scoring monster at Barcelona, having netted 672 goals in 778 matches, his numbers in Paris are underwhelming, to say the least.
So far, he has managed to score just 11 goals across all competitions for PSG. Surprisingly, he has just 6 goals to his name in Ligue 1, football's top domestic tournament in France.
Jorge, however, is not the first man to speak in favour of Messi's return to Barca.
Last month, Brazil defender Dani Alves, who played alongside him in Barcelona, made an emotional appeal to Messi for a switch back to the club where he started his career as a teenager.
"I don't know what he thinks or wants to do. He could come back for a little year with me for a last dance. Why not?," Alves told Catalan outlet Diario Sport.
"There's nowhere better than here. We cannot be better off than at Barca. He left and tried the experience. It's time to return home if he wants," he concluded.
The seven-time Ballon d'Or holder's dad, Jorge, was in conversation with Twitch channel Jijantes FC. When he was asked to share his views about his son's union with his erstwhile club, he replied: "I hope it [happens], someday."
The possibility of Messi making a move back to Spain has never perished with Barca's current manager Xavi, who shares a strong bond with the 34-year-old legendary footballer, acknowledging that the door can never be shut for his return to Camp Nou.
The comments from Messi's father come in the wake of his son's well-documented struggles in France.
While La Pulga was a scoring monster at Barcelona, having netted 672 goals in 778 matches, his numbers in Paris are underwhelming, to say the least.
So far, he has managed to score just 11 goals across all competitions for PSG. Surprisingly, he has just 6 goals to his name in Ligue 1, football's top domestic tournament in France.
Jorge, however, is not the first man to speak in favour of Messi's return to Barca.
Last month, Brazil defender Dani Alves, who played alongside him in Barcelona, made an emotional appeal to Messi for a switch back to the club where he started his career as a teenager.
"I don't know what he thinks or wants to do. He could come back for a little year with me for a last dance. Why not?," Alves told Catalan outlet Diario Sport.
"There's nowhere better than here. We cannot be better off than at Barca. He left and tried the experience. It's time to return home if he wants," he concluded.
