Font Promises Institutional, Commercial and Sporting Proposal to Bring Messi Home
Barcelona presidential candidate Victor Font has revealed a comprehensive 'three-pronged' plan to bring Lionel Messi back to the Camp Nou, calling the club's broken relationship with its legendary captain 'unforgivable'.
Speaking to Spanish radio station Cadena SER, Font outlined his vision to reconcile Messi with the club following his forced departure in 2021 due to Barcelona's financial crisis.
“The fact that he has to sneak into the Camp Nou, that we broke off relations with Leo and not with Real Madrid, is unforgivable. Reconciliation with Messi should be a priority since he left.”
Font's proposal targets three key areas: institutional reconciliation, commercial integration and a sporting project built around the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner. He plans to present the full blueprint to Messi should he win the presidency on March 15.
The candidate has secured the backing of club icon Xavi Hernández, who Font claims 'feels very betrayed' by the current board's treatment. Xavi's support adds significant weight to Font's campaign against Joan Laporta, the incumbent forced to resign this week due to procedural rules.
Messi's Emotional Connection Remains
Messi himself has kept the door open for a return. During an unannounced visit to Barcelona in November — reportedly without Laporta's knowledge — the Inter Miami star wrote on Instagram:
“Last night, I returned to a place that I miss with all my heart. It's a place where I was immensely happy... I hope that one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do…”
However, any return faces significant hurdles. In October 2025, Messi extended his contract with Inter Miami until 2028, committing his immediate future to Major League Soccer. Font's challenge will be convincing the 38-year-old to terminate that deal and orchestrate a fairytale comeback.
The March 15 presidential election now represents a pivotal moment in determining whether Messi's Barcelona story has one final chapter.
