Despite spending his entire professional career with Barcelona, Lionel Messi departed Camp Nou last summer when the club declined to extend his contract. After signing a two-year deal with Paris Saint-Germain, the forward's contract will expire at the conclusion of the current campaign.
With the captain of Argentina on his way to becoming a free agent this summer, there has been much speculation that he may return to his old side. After the World Cup in Qatar, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner will reportedly decide his future, with a return to the La Liga giants possible given his rapport with some Blaugrana players.
After 21 years in Spain, Messi left for France due to financial difficulties at Camp Nou. Not only was this a devastating blow for the club, but it also had serious implications for La Liga, which profited much from Messi's enormous financial contributions over the years.
Why La Liga president Javier Tebas is in favor of Lionel Messi's possible Barcelona comeback
The return of Lionel Messi to Spanish soccer would benefit all parties concerned, an opinion that has now been voiced publicly by the league's main man, Javier Tebas. The head of La Liga also took a shot at PSG and Ligue 1, stating that Messi's lack of popularity in France's top division has resulted in fewer spectators tuning in to see him play than when he was with Barcelona.
"I think that Messi is not only missed in La Liga but he is missed in football, because the French league is what it is, right? I think that no matter how good he is at PSG, he is followed much less than when he was at Barcelona. Therefore, football misses Lionel Messi and we hope he has a great World Cup because there we will all be able to see him again. I don’t see all the fans watching PSG against Nantes, I don’t see it.”
"At Barca, within La Liga, I did see him much more often. I miss him, I don’t know if he will have one last dance, that will depend on him. I hope he comes back. Above all, it would also be good for him to return to Spanish football, especially to the team that saw him born.
"Because I think it was a mistake even for him, in my opinion, to break that marriage, that alliance since he was born in football, because it would have helped him a lot with continuity, like the Messi-Barca brand, which is very important for a player", Tebas told Diario Ole.
