"It depends a lot on what he wants to do" - Xavi hopes Lionel Messi returns to Barcelona and gets the farewell he deserves

Barcelona head coach Xavi hopes that Lionel Messi will get the farewell he deserves after Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba bid adieu to the Camp Nou on Sunday.

The Catalans played their final home league game of the season against Mallorca and won 3-0 as Busquets and Alba made their last appearance at the stadium as players before leaving the club.

The Spaniards, both long-time servants of the club, are set to depart this summer. Busquets' contract is up in June while Alba is set to terminate his contract that otherwise binds him to the side until June 2024.

Busquets and Alba were both subbed off in the second half of the game on Sunday with the Camp Nou crowd giving them a standing ovation. Barcelona president Joan Laporta also paid homage to the players with silver plaques as Busquets and Alba were later given the obligatory treatment of being thrown in the air by teammates.

Xavi later commented that Messi also deserves to get such a farewell. The Argentine left the club in August 2021 after he was unable to sign a new contract due to FFP regulations, forcing him to leave without a proper farewell at the Camp Nou.

However, with the 35-year-old set to leave PSG this summer, as confirmed by transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, there are clamors for Barcelona to bring him back and give him a fitting farewell too.

Xavi hoped for the same. He said (via Barca Universal):

“Messi too deserves a farewell like this, I think we all agree on that, let’s see. We all love Messi, but that doesn’t mean he will come. He’s the best in history and in Barça, it depends a lot on what he wants to do.”

Barcelona play their last game of the season away to Celta Vigo on Sunday.

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Barcelona could bring back Messi

With Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba confirmed to leave, and a few more players expected to depart in the summer, Barcelona will be able to reduce their wage bill, which could help them in re-signing Lionel Messi.

As the Argentine is available on a Bosman this summer, the Catalans won't have to spend a huge amount for his services, as it's only his wages that they will have to negotiate.

Also, given the manner in which Messi had to leave the club, his Barcelona story would seem incomplete without bidding the Camp Nou an official goodbye in the way many club legends before him have.