Barcelona legend Lionel Messi is set to retire from the game soon, but the Catalan giants will not organise any tribute or farewell match for their departing star, the club’s media outlet Barça Universal claimed on Thursday. The forward is said to have a strained relationship with the club, according to Barça Universal, which adds that the situation represents a further complication in the troubled departure process of the Argentinian. It is hard to believe as Messi has scored the club’s record number of goals during his tenure at the club, has been one of its most successful players ever, and has drawn a huge following of fans. There was even initial optimism in the air last year that the club would be able to pay respect to the football icon.
Barcelona confirmed before that a proper tribute was something the club wanted to organise for him, just as Joan Laporta has said they wanted to give him a send-off when the new Camp Nou stadium will finally be completed in its renovations. However, it appears that as of now, there is no official plan of any sort for a farewell match. The two sides are said to have a distant relationship, which may be difficult to reconcile as time moves forward. The 2021 move out of the club was made when both parties failed to make the new player registration, which LaLiga regulations allow for a certain period of time. In this respect, fans would be heartbroken at the idea that their beloved club’s greatest-ever icon may be leaving football without a Camp Nou farewell.
No farewell for Lionel Messi? Barcelona relationship remains complicated
Barcelona’s relationship with Lionel Messi took a dramatic turn in 2021 when the club was unable to renew his contract because of LaLiga’s financial regulations. Although Joan Laporta had campaigned on keeping the legendary forward at Camp Nou, Barcelona eventually withdrew its contract offer. The decision brought an emotional end to his extraordinary 21-year association with the club and led to his move to Paris Saint-Germain. The painful separation also affected his relationship with Laporta, who later acknowledged that their bond was “not what it used to be”. What was once one of football’s strongest player-club relationships was left deeply strained after the unexpected departure.
That difficult history could now play a role in how Barcelona handles the Argentine’s eventual farewell. According to Barça Universal, the Catalan club is currently not planning a tribute or farewell match despite the iconic forward approaching the final stages of his career. The situation is surprising given the monumental legacy he created at Camp Nou, where he became Barcelona’s all-time leading scorer and won a remarkable collection of trophies. The report also recalls an uncomfortable meeting between the two at a Ballon d’Or ceremony, further highlighting the distance between them. For Barcelona supporters, the possibility of their greatest modern star leaving football without a grand farewell at Camp Nou would be a particularly bittersweet ending.
