Where will Messi stand in Flick's Barca?

MU's defense is unstable. Photo: Reuters .

A tweet, a photo at Camp Nou, and the dream is rekindled in the hearts of Barcelona fans. Lionel Messi has not said anything about his return, but with just a hint, the football world is already boiling. At Camp Nou, from the stands to the press conference room, the only question that is asked over and over again is: “If Messi returns, where will he stand in Hansi Flick’s squad?”

Football lives on hope. For Messi, that hope has never faded. His love for Barcelona is something that cannot be erased. But to turn hope into reality, there are too many obstacles. From the relationship with the board of directors, to the physical factor, or simply the question of whether Barca still has room for him in the new system.

The crack has not healed with Laporta

No one will forget the day Messi left Barca in the summer of 2021. He burst into tears at his farewell press conference, and fans felt like they had lost a part of history. Three years on, the pain has not really subsided.

The rift between Messi and President Joan Laporta remains unhealed. Laporta says the two are “gradually on the mend”, but Messi remains silent. According to former vice-president Jordi Mestre, “the Messi family is still very angry with Laporta”. The way the club handled the contract that year left a scar that will not heal easily.

Therefore, although Messi once said "hopefully one day I can return to Barcelona, not just to say goodbye but to close the unfinished journey", people understood that those were words from the heart, not words of a negotiation.

Putting aside the emotional element, the tactical question is the practical one. Hansi Flick's Barca currently plays with a disciplined structure, strong pressing, high speed. Is Messi at 38 still physically fit enough to adapt?

But football is about more than just running. Messi still has that weapon that every system needs: differentiation. He may not be as fast as he used to be, but those feet still know how to unlock a defense with an unseen pass.

Messi can play as an attacking midfielder if he returns to Barca.

In the current squad, there are only two suitable roles for him. One is “false 9”, the other is free attacking midfielder. For Argentina, he often plays these two positions.

If deployed as a central striker, Messi could replace the 37-year-old Lewandowski in a more versatile role. He doesn’t need to be a fixed striker, he can simply drop deep, link the lines and drag the opposition defence out of position. Lamine Yamal, Raphinha or Dani Olmo can then move diagonally inside to exploit the space. Flick is fond of this kind of positional interchange, and Messi, with his superb reading of the game, would be the perfect piece to that structure.

The second option is equally plausible: the attacking midfielder behind the strikers. Here, he could play between the lines, as a pure conductor. This role is currently played by Fermin Lopez or Dani Olmo, but neither can match Messi for influence. With two defensive midfielders behind him, like Frenkie de Jong and Pedri, he would have space to create without the defensive burden.

The MLS season ends in December, and Messi has nearly two months off before returning to Inter Miami in March. In the middle of that schedule is the 2026 World Cup, which could be his last for Argentina, so it's hard to imagine him risking his fitness for a short-term deal in Europe.

Messi is still in top form in the US. He assists, scores, and is still the center of the team. But the MLS environment is a far cry from the speed and intensity of La Liga. Playing for Barca again will be a challenge, especially at 38 years old.

However, what Messi has done for Argentina shows that he still knows how to survive at a high level. He has adjusted himself, playing with less movement but choosing smarter positions. In a team built around him, he is still capable of changing the game.

The heart says “yes”, the mind says “no”

In reality, the possibility of Messi returning to Camp Nou to play officially is almost zero. The relationship with Laporta, the physical factor and the preparation plan for the World Cup make this deal almost impossible. But football is not only about reason.

Messi just appeared at Camp Nou.

Barca and Messi owe each other a worthy ending. He left without saying goodbye on the field, without hearing the final applause from the stands. Fans still wait for that moment, whether it is just a friendly match, a symbolic minute of play or a tribute.

Messi once said: “I hope one day I can come back, not only to say goodbye but also to close the unfinished story”. That sentence is enough to keep the dream alive. So, even though reason says it is impossible, the Catalan heart still whispers the same question: “Why not?”.

In the world of football, where absurd things can still happen, the name Lionel Messi is always proof that - sometimes, the craziest dreams are what make this ball the most beautiful.

Source: https://znews.vn/messi-se-dung-o-dau-trong-barca-cua-flick-post1601759.html