Election season at Barcelona rarely passes quietly, and this one is proving no different.
Posters are going up, interviews are multiplying and promises are getting bigger by the day.
With the presidency up for grabs, every candidate is searching for that emotional chord to strike with the fanbase.
Few names resonate louder in the Blaugrana world than Lionel Messi.
So it was perhaps inevitable that his image would find its way into campaign material.
One pre-candidate, Marc Ciria, even unveiled a large poster featuring the former captain, speaking confidently about doing everything possible to bring the Argentine icon back to the club.
It’s the kind of message designed to stir nostalgia, memories of packed nights at Camp Nou, trophies lifted, and a No. 10 who defined an era.
But sentiment and reality are often very different things.
According to journalist Xavi Campos on Catalunya Radio on X, Lionel Messi has made his position clear through his entourage: he will not be returning to Barcelona as a player.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has informed the various presidential candidates that a playing comeback is not on the table.
That effectively rules out the romantic “last dance” many supporters have quietly hoped for.
The current Inter Miami star, however, has not closed the door entirely on the club.
A return in a different capacity somewhere down the line remains possible.
What has been dismissed, though, is any suggestion of pulling on the Blaugrana shirt again in a competitive match.
Messi’s departure in 2021 remains one of the most painful chapters in modern Barca history.
Financial Fair Play restrictions prevented the board, then led by Joan Laporta, from renewing his contract despite both sides reaching an agreement in principle.
The image of an emotional farewell still lingers.
Since leaving, Messi has added chapters to his story at PSG and now in Major League Soccer, but his connection to Barcelona has never faded.
He still speaks warmly of the club, the city and the supporters who watched him grow from La Masia prodigy to global icon.
For now, though, fans may need to separate campaign slogans from concrete plans.
The dream of one final run at Spotify Camp Nou in playing boots appears to belong to the past, even if Messi’s bond with Barca very much lives on.
🔵🔴 Messi no es veuria tornant a jugar amb el Barça
Nou capítol del #BarçaReservatCatRàdio amb @laiatudel i, en aquest capítol, @orioldomenech i @xavicamposhttps://t.co/k8p7QmFwg4 pic.twitter.com/y3k0Qd5tax
— Tot costa (@totcosta) February 26, 2026
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