Barcelona have always harboured a desire to bring Lionel Messi back to the club, and the Inter Miami superstar could return in November.

According to a report from Relevo in Spain, Messi will be invited to return to Barcelona at the end of November for a special event to commemorate the club’s 125th anniversary.

Even though Barcelona have never given up hope of a reunion with Messi three years after the club’s financial woes forced him out, this invitation won’t be to join the playing squad. The Catalans are hosting an event on November 29 to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the club’s 1899 foundation. The plan from Barca is to invite Messi and other legends to attend to acknowledge their place in the club’s history.

The issue for Messi is that the date falls right in the midst of what Inter Miami hope to be their MLS Cup play-off run, which could make it impossible to fly to Europe and back a week before the MLS Cup final. The legends who cannot attend in person will still be invited to record video messages to be played at Barca’s anniversary gala.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta was determined to re-sign Messi as a player last year when he was leaving Paris Saint-Germain. But Messi confirmed the reason it didn’t happen was that he didn’t want to put things in the club’s hands and end up being let down, having been burned in similar circumstances in 2021 over a failed contract renewal.

Four play-off wins in the coming weeks would see 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners Inter Miami lift a first ever MLS Cup. But the regular season must wrap with fixtures against Toronto FC and New England Revolution. It would be a remarkable turnaround given that the club finished 27th overall in 2023.