09 June 2023 , 09:15
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Xavi has suggested that he understands Lionel Messi's decision to snub a return to Barcelona in search of a "quieter life."
Messi, 35, has agreed to join MLS side Inter Miami - the club co-founded by David Beckham - once his contract with Paris Saint-Germain expires at the end of June. But for much of the season a move back to the Camp Nou has been mooted, with Xavi open to the idea of reuniting with his ex-team-mate and the Barca hierarchy actively pursuing a deal.
Ultimately, Messi decided against a return to where he'd spent more than two decades of his life before an emotional departure in 2021 as a result of Barcelona's well-documented financial difficulties. Xavi was left disappointed by the Argentine icon's announcement on Wednesday but has noticed a "change" in Messi which factored into his rejection.
"I have noticed a change in him over the last few days and weeks," the Barca boss told Jijantes. "He doesn't see things as clearly and we have to respect him. We often don't put ourselves in someone else's situation, we lack empathy.
"Being Leo Messi can't be easy. He never has any peace and has to be a 10 in everything. He has seen that he hasn't had a good time and he doesn't want this kind of pressure, it's normal. The excitement was generated because we both talked, we have talked a lot.
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"We were all looking forward to it, first for him, then for me and then for the club. But the circumstances didn't work out... He wanted to lower the level of pressure and tension. He wants a quieter life."
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Lionel Messi wants a "quieter life" after agreeing to sign for Inter Miami (Tim Clayton/Corbis via Getty Images)Messi's two years with PSG were indeed difficult, as the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner most notably failed to deliver an elusive Champions League title. Having won the World Cup with Argentina, Messi is now ready to wind down his career, just like eternal rival Cristiano Ronaldo is doing in Saudi Arabia by playing for Al-Nassr.
"I really wanted to come back to Barcelona, I was really looking forward to it," the 35-year-old revealed to Sport. "But, on the other hand, after having lived through what I lived through, after the exit I had... I didn't want to go through the same situation again and have to wait to see what was going to happen. I didn't want to leave my future in the hands of others.
"Somehow, I wanted to make my own decision for myself, for my family. Even though I heard that they said that the league had accepted everything and that everything was okay for me to come back... there were still a lot of other things missing. I heard that they had to sell players or lower the salaries of players and the truth is that I didn't want to go through that, nor be responsible or have anything to do with all that."