Lionel Messi: Barcelona return played down by Tata Martino as Inter Miami coach jokes captain may be heading back to Spain ‘to visit’
Tata Martino was quick to play down rumors of a possible loan move to Barcelona for Lionel Messi in January, after Inter Miami’s hopes of reaching the MLS play-offs hit a dead end.
Speaking to reporters after Saturday night’s 1-0 defeat at home to Cincinnati, the Argentine and former Barca manager was asked about the possibility of the 36-year-old Messi returning to Europe to stay fit during the MLS off-season.
MLS action won’t resume until February, once the outcome of its postseason is determined later this month.
‘Is he going for fun? Maybe he will visit Barcelona,” Martino said in Spanish.
“Other than that I don’t know anything else about it.”
Inter Miami’s Tata Martino has admitted he is not aware of a move to Barcelona for Lionel Messi
Messi could return to Barcelona to stay fit until the new MLS season starts in February
Messi has scored 12 goals in the combined 13 league and cup games he has played since joining Miami on a two-and-a-half-year deal in July. Miami was 8-0-4 with Messi before Saturday’s loss.
Cincinnati (20-5-8, 68 points) has already clinched the top spot in the East and a first-round bye. For Cincinnati, the win also avenged a home loss to Miami in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals on August 23.
Messi will join Argentina for 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Peru on October 12 and 17 respectively.
With Miami’s season soon to end, Argentina must figure out how to maintain Messi’s fitness for World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay on November 16 and in Brazil five days later.
Messi (36) undoubtedly enjoyed the best period of his career from 2004 to 2021 with Barcelona,
Miami’s remaining league games will be a home and road set against Charlotte on Oct. 18 and 21.
Previously, Martino revealed that Messi was ‘much happier’ playing in the US than for Paris Saint Germain, where he had a torrid time after failing to bring a Champions League trophy to the French capital over two seasons he played there.
Barcelona’s manager, Xavi, said in May that Messi – his former club mate – has the talent to make the Blaugrana better. He added that a reunion in Catalonia ‘depends on the player’.
Messi scored 474 goals in 520 games for Barcelona in all competitions from 2004 to 2021. He won 10 La Liga titles, seven separate Copa del Rey and Supercopa de Espana cups, four Champions League trophies, two UEFA Super Cups and three FIFA Club World Cups. with the Blaugrana.
