Lionel Messi visited Camp Nou without permission from Barcelona as rumored details of surprise visit revealed

Lionel Messi reportedly visited Camp Nou without informing anyone at Barcelona after the stadium reopened last week following its renovation. The visit marked the Blaugrana legend's first time at the home ground since his abrupt departure in 2021.

According to Mundo Deportivo, sources close to Lionel Messi claim that he visited the Barcelona home ground at midnight on Sunday, November 9. His entourage states that the Argentine did not seek permission from any officials at the club or inform anyone prior to his visit. It was reportedly a surprise visit from Messi as he decided to stop by his boyhood stadium while on the way to join the Argentina national team at Alicante.

The report further claims that Lionel Messi was accompanied by his compatriot and Inter Miami teammate, Rodrigo De Paul, who clicked the images Messi shared on Instagram today. Meanwhile, Barcelona's official explanation, issued a couple of hours after Messi's Instagram post, claimed otherwise.

The Catalans mentioned that Lionel Messi sought permission from the Limak security staff overseeing the stadium at that time to enter the venue. The security reportedly informed the club authorities, who had no objection to his visit, and considered Messi more than welcome to visit his boyhood club. Messi's entourage, however, denied such reports, claiming no official permission was sought ahead of his visit.

Widely considered the greatest Blaugrana legend of all time, Lionel Messi's legacy at Barcelona will perhaps remain unmatched for generations to come. The Argentine led the club to a club record 35 titles, while maintaining an astonishing 673 goals and 303 assists in 778 outings across competitions. In August 2021, Messi was forced to leave the Catalan side after they failed to renew his contract due to financial issues.

When Lionel Messi said he wanted to return to Barcelona in 2023

Messi - Source: Getty

In an interview with Argentine journalist Quique Wolff, Lionel Messi revealed that he wanted to return to Barcelona after his contract with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) expired in 2023. He had spent two years at the French club, but wanted to leave after his contract expired. He said (via Fabrizio Romano):

After his return to Spain fell through, Messi opted to sign for MLS side Inter Miami, where he currently plies his trade. Since then, La Pulga has often expressed a desire to return to the club in one way or another as he never had the chance to say goodbye to the fans.

Edited by Pratyasha Sarkar