Messi surprised everyone with a spontaneous visit to Camp Nou at midnight.

In the early morning of November 10th (Spain time), Lionel Messi shocked both Barcelona and Catalan supporters by suddenly showing up at Camp Nou, the stadium he was connected to for more than twenty years, during a completely spontaneous and unannounced visit.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Messi arrived at Camp Nou around midnight on Sunday, November 9th, while he was in Barcelona before traveling to Alicante to join the Argentina national team. The 38-year-old star was accompanied only by two close friends, Rodrigo De Paul and Pepe Costa. There, he spent several minutes strolling around the pitch, which had witnessed legendary moments throughout his remarkable career.

On his personal Instagram page, Messi posted a photo of himself standing in the middle of the empty stands with an emotional caption: "Last night, I returned to a place I have always cherished deeply. A place where I was the happiest man alive, where you made me feel that way thousands of times." The photo quickly attracted millions of interactions within hours, stirring excitement among fans.

What made this visit even more surprising was that Messi did not inform Barcelona in advance. A close source revealed that he simply wanted to "see the stadium under renovation by himself," a purely emotional gesture. Meanwhile, Barcelona stated that Messi "had obtained permission through the security team of Limak," the company responsible for the stadium's construction, and that the club "completely welcomed him back to his home."

Sources close to Messi quickly denied this, stressing that he did not contact or seek permission from anyone before visiting the stadium. This difference in accounts reveals that the relationship between Messi and Barcelona's management, especially President Joan Laporta, remains unresolved after their emotional separation in the summer of 2021, when Barcelona was forced to let Messi go due to La Liga's financial constraints preventing contract renewal.

Currently, Messi plays for Inter Miami and recently helped the American team advance to the next stage of the MLS Cup Playoffs. It has been four years since he last stepped onto the pitch of what was once considered his "sanctuary."

The visit happened just days after Spotify Camp Nou reopened to 23,000 fans attending the first training session following a long period of renovations. President Laporta had previously expressed his desire to hold a special tribute for Messi on the official reopening day of the new stadium: "It would be wonderful if that day were dedicated to honoring Leo. That depends on him, but I would love to do it if I remain president," Laporta said.

Messi, in his statement, also left open the possibility of returning: "I hope one day to come back here, not only to say farewell as a player, which I never got the chance to do, but also to contribute to the club in another way."

With that emotional midnight visit, Messi once again confirmed his unwavering love for Barcelona, where he not only built a legendary career but also left a piece of his soul behind.