OFFICIAL: Barça explains Messi's "no" and announces "a great tribute"

Once confirmed the signing of Leo Messi by the InterMiami , the directive of the FC Barcelona has issued a communiqué to fix his posture in front of the decision of the rosarino. In a brief message, the club wished luck to the player of 35 years in his new professional adventure and, besides, reiterated the effort made by Joan Laporta to try recover to the '10' after his exit of Paris Saint-Germain.

Communiqué of the FC Barcelona on the decision of Leo Messi to play in the Inter of Miami

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_is) June 7, 2023

"The president Laporta understood and respected the decision taken by Messi to want to compete in a championship with fewer requirements and more move# away of the focus and the pressure to which has been subjected in the last years", explained the club in his communiqué. Leo will play in the Major League Soccer from July and his debut would have to produce in a date that will coincide with the stay of the Barça in United States to make the pre-season.

The Barça expects homenajear to Leo Messi

On the other hand, the official communiqué culé advanced the intention of the directive to make a homage to the rosarino so that it can sack formally of the fans, something that prevented the pandemia in 2021. "So much Joan Laporta like Jorge Messi also emplazaron to work jointly to promote a big homage of the barcelonismo to a footballer that has been, is and will be always wanted by the Barça", exposes the message spread by the club.

In this sense, we will have to wait for the date on which this tribute will take place and if it takes place in Montjuic, where Barça will play its matches until November 2024 due to the remodeling of the Spotify Camp Nou. Last week there was speculation about a possible transfer of Leo to the Catalan team if he signed for Inter, a rumor that the American club itself denied. In December, possibly, this rumor would gain strength again, since the MLS takes a vacation during the winter.

Laporta learned about Leo's decision at the 'summit' on Monday

On the other hand, the Barcelona communiqué clarifies that, beyond the wave of rumors that circulated in the last hours, the club knew the decision of 'La Pulga' during the 'summit' that the culé president and his father held on Monday for the night. "Jorge Messi transferred the player's decision to sign for Inter Miami on Monday despite having a proposal presented by Barça in light of the will expressed by both FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi to return to dressing as a Barça player."

For his part, Leo based his decision on not forcing the departure of players or salary reductions at Barça that would generate new rumors. "I've already been accused of many things that weren't true in my career at Barcelona and I was already a bit tired, I didn't want to go through all that", explained the '10'. In principle, the forward will sign for three seasons at a rate of 50 million euros net per year.