Lionel Messi admits he and his family ‘miss Barcelona so much’ after his secret trip to Camp Nou last weekend.
On Sunday night, Barcelona’s all-time top scorer was filmed at the club’s stadium which is currently closed due to £1.3 billion renovation works.
Messi, who is playing in his third season with Inter Miami, surprisingly left Barcelona four years ago after he failed to agree a new contract with the club.
The 38-year-old joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer but left the French capital after two seasons.
After being spotted at his former club, Messi has been linked with a move back to Barcelona and the World Cup winner admits he has discussed the idea of moving back to the city with his family.
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Speaking about the prospect of a return to Barcelona, Messi said in an interview with Sport: ‘I’m really looking forward to going there.
‘We miss Barcelona so much. My wife and the kids are always talking about Barcelona, about the idea of living there again. We have our house there, everything, so that’s what we want.
‘I’m really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it’s finished because I haven’t been back to Camp Nou since I moved to Paris, and then they moved to Montjuic.
‘It’s going to be strange going back to the new stadium and seeing it because the last time I saw it was a long time ago, and it’s going to be exciting to relive and remember everything that was like, even though the stadium is different.’
Is Messi returning to Barcelona?
Messi is now preparing to play in his sixth World Cup with Argentina next year but has appeared to dismiss suggestions that he will move to a European club in order to prepare for the tournament.
‘It’s a special World Cup. It’s special to play with the national team, and other important, official competitions, especially considering what a World Cup means, and after having won it,’ Messi said.
‘But, as I was saying, I don’t want to be a burden, so to speak. I want to feel good physically, to be sure that I can help and contribute to the group, to the squad.
‘Our season is different from the European one. We’ll have a pre-season in between, few matches leading up to the World Cup, and we’ll see day by day if I really feel physically fit enough to be where I’d like to be and be able to participate.
‘But obviously, I’m aware that it’s a World Cup in June, and it’s special, and that the World Cup is the biggest competition there is. So, I’m excited, but taking it one day at a time.’
Messi, who will turn 39 during next year’s World Cup, also revealed that he has no immediate plans to retire.
‘I’m happy with how these years have gone, and as long as I can and feel physically fit, I’ll keep playing the same way, trying to compete, win, and always give my all,’ Messi said.
‘The moment I see that I’m not physically up to it, that I’m struggling on the pitch, or that I’m not enjoying it, that will be the moment to call it quits.
‘But right now, I’m enjoying it, I feel good, and that’s where I’m at.’
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