Barcelona confirm plans for Lionel Messi tribute
- Messi opted to join Inter Miami instead of Barcelona
- Joan Laporta planning Camp Nou tribute for forward
- Barça to return to home stadium in 2024 or 2025
By Sean Walsh
Barcelona president Joan Laporta has revealed that the club are planning a tribute to Lionel Messi, despite the Argentine rejecting the chance to return this summer.
Barça were confident of re-signing Messi from Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer but he instead opted to join MLS side Inter Miami, where he will link up with former Blaugrana captain Sergio Busquets and manager Tata Martino.
"I made the decision that I am going to go to Miami," Messi said in June. "I still haven't closed it 100%. I'm missing some things but we decided to continue the path."
"I had offers from other European teams but I didn't even evaluate them because my idea was to go to Barcelona. If the Barcelona thing didn't work out, then leaving European football, much more after winning the World Cup, was what I needed. Finishing my career on this side and living the United States league in a different way, enjoying day to day much more but with the same responsibility of wanting to win and always doing things well, but with more peace of mind."
READ MORE ON LIONEL MESSI'S MOVE TO INTER MIAMI
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Despite this snub, there are no hard feelings between Messi and Barcelona, with Laporta telling TV3 of plans for a tribute to the Argentine.
"We told him that we understood [his decision] and that the Cules did too," Laporta said.
"Barça will always be his home. I hope he does well in Miami. I told him we were working on a great tribute. We must remember the memory of the great players. I hope it will be when the Camp Nou reopens [in 2025]."
Barcelona will play at least one season at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys while Camp Nou undergoes extensive renovations and expansion.
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