Robert Lewandowski has expressed his desire for Lionel Messi to return to Barcelona ahead of next season.
Club legend Messi left Barcelona in 2020 after financial troubles at the club prevented his contract from being renewed to join Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi’s contract in the French capital expires in June and a departure seems increasingly likely, especially after some fans booed his name during the recent Ligue 1 loss to Lyon and fans expressed their disappointment with the club’s policy of signing big names . without results in the Champions League.
A return to the Camp Nou is often touted and Lewandowski, who joined the club last year from Bayern Munich, wants to play alongside Messi next season.
“Messi belongs to Barça and if he returns it will be something incredible,” he said at the presentation of the 18th book of “Stories of Solidarity in Sport”.
“We know that your place is here in Barcelona. I don’t know what will happen, but I hope we can play together next season.”
3. Barcelona are one of only three teams in the top five European leagues to have yet to lose a home match this season, along with Union (Berlin) and Bayern Munich (Munich).
Invincible. pic.twitter.com/kSDO2DTwF5
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 10, 2023
While Barcelona are poised to win La Liga for the first time since the 2018/19 season, the club was knocked out of the Champions League in the group stage and knocked out of the Europa League by Manchester United.
Relegation from the Copa del Rey at the hands of Real Madrid averted a potential treble for the Catalan team that won the Super Cup earlier this season, and Lewandowski believes Barcelona will do better next year.
“It’s still early for La Liga. We are taking steps and it is not easy,” he explained.
“We have a lot of new players and a lot of injuries, for example in the Champions League group stage or in the last game against Madrid, so it was difficult.
“At Bayern it was always normal, but Barça are going great again. We have to be patient and I’m sure next season will be better.”