Barcelona are reportedly set to honor Argentine legend Lionel Messi, the current captain of Inter Miami during the opening of its new stadium after the renovation works are completed.
According to Marca, Barcelona’s management is planning to invite Messi to be the guest of honor at the opening ceremony of the Spotify Camp Nou stadium after the completion of its development project, which includes the installation of a new roof.
Softfootball understands that this tribute comes as part of Barcelona’s desire to show gratitude to Messi, who wore the team’s jersey for many years and wrote an exceptional history with the club, ensuring that his name remains etched in the memories of Camp Nou fans as the greatest player in its history.
The celebration will take place during the 2026/27 season, when the stadium will be fully refurbished after several years of construction.
Barca is planning to slowly return to the Camp Nou stadium on August 10, with the first game of the refurbished stadium. However, the first League games will take place in the Catalan field on the weekend of September 13-14.
Lionel Messi left FC Barcelona in 2021 after his contract expired. Despite negotiations to keep him in the Catalan team, the player bid farewell to what had been his team for years. Messi never had a farewell worthy of a legend of his stature.
The 2021 goodbye took place in the middle of the pandemic, without fans and with a bitter press conference as the last memory. That event was etched in the memory of Barcelona fans as an open wound which the club now wants to close forever.
The club considers the tribute to Messi an outstanding debt. After nearly twenty years writing the brightest pages in Barcelona’s history, he left without embracing Camp Nou. His departure to Paris was cold, forced, and without the warmth of his own people.
Softfootball reported earlier that Barcelona has made Marcus Rashford top priority for summer transfer. Barcelona are ready to go all out in their pursuit of Marcus Rashford, with manager Hansi Flick reportedly giving his approval for the move.
Rashford’s priority is to join Barcelona this summer, and he has been waiting for a call from the Spanish club. The English winger has not been approached by Premier League clubs, with Aston Villa bucking at a chance of triggering his £40-45m price tag.
However, Barcelona remains a strong possibility for the Manchester United attacker, who scored 11 goals and nine assists on a six-month loan deal at Aston Villa last season.
