The prospects of Lionel Messi’s return to Barcelona as a player are “unrealistic”, says the Spanish club’s president Joan Laporta.

Laporta’s comments, on Wednesday, came three days after the Argentinian, one of Barcelona’s all-time football greats, returned to the Catalan club on an unannounced visit and expressed his desire to “return one day”.

The 38-year-old made a surprise appearance at Barca’s Camp Nou stadium on Sunday night and said he hoped “one day I can return, and not just to say goodbye as a player, as I never got to do”.

Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi, Barca’s record goal scorer (672 goals) and appearance maker (778 caps), left for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 after spending 21 years of his illustrious career with Barcelona.

Having won 10 La Liga titles, four Champions

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