Barcelona set potential date for Lionel Messi’s return

Barcelona fans may finally get the farewell they’ve long craved, as the club has identified a potential date to officially welcome back Lionel Messi.

After years of strained relations and unfinished business, the Catalan giants are planning a tribute for their greatest-ever player once the Spotify Camp Nou redevelopment is complete.

According to reports from Diario AS, Barcelona are eyeing the summer of 2026 to host a grand tribute for Lionel Messi.

The timing is no coincidence, as that is when the full renovation of the iconic Spotify Camp Nou is expected to be completed. The revamped stadium is projected to boast a capacity of 104,000, setting the stage for a monumental farewell.

This event, which could take place just after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, would give both Messi and the club an overdue chance to mend fences and celebrate an era that redefined football.

With over 100,000 fans likely to attend, the occasion is expected to be one of the most emotional nights in the club’s history.

Since Messi’s dramatic exit in 2021, when Barcelona failed to renew his contract due to financial restrictions, the relationship between the Argentine legend and club president Joan Laporta has remained frosty.

The absence of a proper send-off has lingered over both parties. But now, with the long-awaited return to Camp Nou in sight, there’s an opportunity to finally bring closure.

Messi, now 38, is expected to still be under contract with Inter Miami by then, although it is possible he could be without a club following what’s likely to be his last World Cup.

Regardless of his playing status, Barcelona appear set on giving him the grand tribute he deserves, in an upgraded version of the stadium where he became eternal.