The Spotify Camp Nou received a very special visitor on Sunday night. While FC Barcelona was playing matchday 12 of LaLiga in Vigo against Celta, Leo Messi took the opportunity to take a look at the progress of the stadium's construction, in a 'lightning' visit while taking advantage of Argentina's training camp in Alicante prior to the friendly against Angola (11/14).
Sources close to the Blaugrana squad assured that 'La Pulga' did not notify the club of his visit in advance. He simply went to the stadium and requested access from Limak's workers. Once Messi's arrival at the culé temple was reported, the Barça board authorized his entry while the night shift at the construction site was underway.
Messi himself was in charge of **sharing images of his visit to Camp Nou** on his social media, where he shared an emotional message to greet the Barça fans
Leo Messi's message after his visit to Spotify Camp Nou
"Last night I returned to a place I miss with all my soul. A place where I was immensely happy, where you made me feel a thousand times like the happiest person in the world. I hope someday I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never could..."
Regarding this, Barça responded: "Sempre benvingut a casa teva, Leo (Always welcome home, Leo)". Messi played his last match at Camp Nou on May 16, 2021, precisely against Sunday's Barça rival (Celta). 'La Pulga' scored the Catalans' only goal in the 1-2 defeat on matchday 37 of LaLiga 20/21.
Due to health restrictions from the pandemic, Barça played behind closed doors from June 2020 until the end of October 2021. The farewell event for the Rosario 'crack' was therefore also held without contact with the fans in the summer of that year, when the '10' signed for Paris Saint-Germain.
In that regard, the Barça fans haven't seen Leo on the Les Corts pitch since March 7, 2020, against Real Sociedad. The Argentine star scored the winning goal (1-0) with an 81st-minute penalty.
Barça and Leo Messi await the '10's reunion with the culé fans
Once the first team's return to Spotify Camp Nou is finalized, the idea is to pay tribute to Leo Messi, perhaps as part of the club's 126th-anniversary celebration at the end of November.
Although playing at the Estadi against Athletic (November 22nd) is not ruled out, it is most likely that the match against Alavés (November 29th) will be the one to reopen the culé temple in its phase 1B, with a capacity for 45,000 spectators
Last week's operational test, with open-door training, was a success and the club is fully confident in receiving the first occupancy license for the Lateral in the coming weeks, thus increasing the capacity to a figure similar to that of Montjuïc (50,000)
Messi, for his part, continues his season with Inter Miami, which remains in contention for the MLS Cup after eliminating Nashville in the first round of the 'play-offs'. The 'herons' will face Cincinnati on November 23rd in the conference semifinals
The MLS season concludes on December 6 and returns in late February. Therefore, Leo, who renewed with Inter until 2028, could negotiate a winter loan to Barça or another European club before the World Cup, a scenario currently unlikely for the 38-year-old forward. The transfer window opens on January 1, but for now, the Catalan club does not foresee incorporating reinforcements.