Former FC Barcelona legend Lionel Messi caused a stir at his old club after pictures of him visiting the redeveloped Spotify Camp Nou surfaced on social media, reportedly catching club officials completely by surprise.
According to a report from Barca Universal, the 2022 FIFA World Cup winner undertook the visit to Barça’s redeveloped stadium on Sunday night without notifying anyone within the club’s hierarchy.
The news, which broke on Monday morning after Messi published the stunning shots on his official social media account, reportedly left many at Barcelona headquarters in disbelief.
According to a report from SPORT reporting suggest that “Barcelona have confirmed that nobody at the club had been informed about Messi’s visit to the stadium.”
The post, which included a message to fans expressing his desire to return to the Camp Nou in some capacity, spread rapidly, putting the spotlight on the unannounced nature of his trip.
The current Inter Miami player took advantage of a brief stay in Spain to visit what he called “his home” for so many years.
Messi is currently in the country as he prepares to join the Argentina national team camp in Algorfa, Alicante, where the team will get ready for a friendly match against Angola scheduled for November 14.
The news of the visit only reached the club once the images were published on Monday, leading to suspicion and surprise within the management. The report confirms that the club is now “investigating how their former captain was able to enter and who may have helped him do so.”
This sense of secrecy was reinforced by sources close to the player, who confirmed that “the Argentine did not arrange this brief visit with anyone from the club, but did it on his own initiative and without informing anyone.”
The timing is notable, as the Camp Nou had only just been reopened to the public on Friday, November 7, for a single open training session that was attended by 23,000 fans.
The situation has caused significant internal discussion regarding access to the facility, even as it generates excitement among the fanbase hoping for an eventual formal farewell for the club icon.