Lionel Messi’s unexpected departure from Barcelona created significant astonishment within the football community. The Argentine star seemed poised to finalize a new agreement with the Catalan club, and there appeared to be a mutual understanding to continue working together.
However, the course of Barcelona’s history took an abrupt turn overnight. In a matter of hours, their club captain had departed without any comprehensible explanation, an event overseen by the newly elected president, Joan Laporta.
Less than two years later, reports have emerged suggesting that Messi might make a brief return to Barcelona in the upcoming season.
According to reports from AS, if Messi returns this summer, there is a possibility of him reassuming the captain’s armband at Barcelona. There is no objection within the team regarding this proposition, and it would mean the former skipper reclaiming what rightfully belongs to him.
Barcelona finds themselves in a unique situation at the moment. Three out of the four captains, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba, have announced their departure from the club, leaving Sergi Roberto as the sole remaining captain from last season.
As it stands, the La Masia graduate will become the primary captain for the 2023-24 campaign. Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was named a captain after Pique’s retirement, will assume the role of the second captain.
The positions of the third and fourth captains are currently vacant, and earlier reports this week suggested that Ronald Araujo and Robert Lewandowski are the top contenders to fill those positions.
If Messi were to join, it is likely that Araujo would willingly relinquish his position to accommodate the Argentine as captain solely due to his seniority. In such a situation, all other captains would understandably move down by one rank.
While there is optimism surrounding the return of the World Cup winner, everything hinges on La Liga’s approval of the club’s economic viability plan. The league’s final approval is expected in the coming week.
