Having once seemed incredibly unrealistic, there now appears to be a growing confidence that Lionel Messi will return to Barcelona in the summer, upon the expiry of his contract at Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi left Barcelona two years, following the expiration of his contract back then, but he could well re-join his former club for next season onwards, in a move that would delight Barcelona supporters around the world.
In his last season at Barcelona, Messi predominantly played as a forward, like he had done for the vast majority of his career so far. At PSG, it has been the same, as he regularly partners Kylian Mbappe up front.
However, should he return to Barcelona in the summer, MD have revealed that Xavi Hernandez sees him playing as a midfielder next season. In three different systems, the Argentine is seen to be played in central midfield.
In a 4-3-3, Messi would operate as one of the two midfielders flanking the pivot, which would be either Sergio Busquets or Frenkie De Jong. In a narrow 4-1-2-1-2 or 4-2-3-1 setup, Messi could play as a number 10, just in behind Robert Lewandowski.
Xavi clearly sees Messi being most effective in the centre of the park, which makes sense considering the impact that he can have, and has had at PSG this season, when he has dropped deeper.
For now, an agreement between Messi and Barcelona seems a way off, but there is a general feeling that the 36-year-old will have one last dance at his former side.
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