Tebas: 'I wish Messi returned to Barca'
La Liga president Javier Tebas claims he was rooting for Barcelona to sign Lionel Messi as a free agent this summer.
Lionel Messi left Barcelona on August 5, 2021, after the club was unable to register him under La Liga's salary cap rules. Messi had agreed to a new contract with Barcelona, but the club could not afford to pay his wages under the salary cap.
Messi had wanted to leave Barcelona in 2020, but the club refused to let him go. However, in 2021, the club's financial situation had deteriorated significantly due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and they were forced to let Messi go.
Messi joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer after leaving Barcelona. He has since won the Ligue 1 title with PSG, but he has not yet won the Champions League with the club.
"Leo Messi didn't finish his career at Barcelona because they couldn't find an agreement," Tebas said in a media chat.
"I don't know why they didn't agree. I wish they did, but the circumstances weren't there.
"He has his family, his way of thinking, and according to his age, he's looking for new experiences.
"I wish he could have finished his career in La Liga. It would have been the best for him, for me, and for Barcelona.
Despite crunch talks with Barca for months after his contract with PSG expired, Messi and his family opted to sign for Inter Miami in the MLS.
Messi confirmed he didn't want to come back to Barca because of the financial drama it would've caused for Barca due to La Liga's FFP regulation.
Leo also cited the fact that some people at the club didn't want him back for reasons best known to them.
Henry
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