Lionel Messi would turn down at Barcelona reunion, according to reports, based on whether a team-mate he fell out with was involved
(Image credit: TF-Images/Getty Images)
Lionel Messi would refuse a return to Barcelona if a team-mate who "betrayed" him was still at the club.
That's according to reports that the Argentine legend has one condition on making a grand homecoming at Camp Nou, with rumours circling that he could well be on his way back to Catalonia.
It seems as if the GOAT really does bear grudges…
Lionel Messi would never return to Barcelona if Gerard Pique was still there
Gerard Pique isn't in Leo Messi's good books (Image credit: Getty Images)
According to a report from Catalan outlet El Nacionalin September, Messi would never return to Barcelona if Gerard Pique was still at the club.
Pique and Messi came through Barça's iconic La Masia academy together, winning three Champions League titles together and both captaining the club at different points. The pair played together 506 times: only Sergio Busquets has played with Messi more often.
It's been claimed that Messi blames Pique for his Barça departure, since the defender thought that the Flea should leave the club in the summer of 2021 to ease financial worries. The Athletic claimed that Pique was a key figure in persuading president Joan Laporta that Messi leaving the club would not affect the team.
Pique's not exactly been proved entirely correct, however: Barça have failed to make it out of the Champions League group stage since the departure of their talismanic No.10.
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Lionel Messi believes Gerard Pique forced him out of Barcelona, according to reports (Image credit: Getty Images)
Months after the fallout, Spanish newspaper Sport claimed Pique wasn't invited to a reunion dinner by Messi. Pique reportedly harbours an ambition to be club president one day – though this feud with one of the club's biggest-ever figures might affect that.
It's a good job that Pique retired last autumn, giving Messi the green light for his move this summer…
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Mark White has been at on FourFourTwo since joining in January 2020, first as a staff writer before becoming content editor in 2023. An encyclopedia of football shirts and boots knowledge – both past and present – Mark has also represented FFT at both FA Cup and League Cup finals (though didn't receive a winners' medal on either occasion) and has written pieces for the mag ranging on subjects from Bobby Robson's season at Barcelona to Robinho's career. He has written cover features for the mag on Mikel Arteta and Martin Odegaard, and is assisted by his cat, Rosie, who has interned for the brand since lockdown.
