Lionel Messi might be on the verge of a sensational return to Barcelona, and we’re not talking about a promised event from Inter Miami for the global football icon. Instead, there’s a chance we could witness Messi don the iconic blue and garnet stripes of FC Barcelona once more and play for the club in January.

Nick Judd of ESPN spotted this intriguing development reported by the Spanish outlet AS. The condition for Messi’s potential return to the club where he spent over two decades is contingent on his current team, Inter Miami, failing to secure a spot in the MLS Eastern Conference playoffs.

Ever since departing for Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, Messi has been vocal about his desire to reunite with Camp Nou. Inter Miami recently expressed their support for the Argentinian superstar’s wish to bid Barcelona a proper farewell, and now it appears he might have an opportunity to do much more than that.

However, it’s important to approach these rumors with caution, as they remain unsubstantiated at this stage. Nevertheless, football fans worldwide would undoubtedly relish the chance to see Messi back in a Barcelona jersey before the 36-year-old eventually hangs up his cleats for good.

Meanwhile, Messi’s current club, Inter Miami (9-6-16), finds itself just outside the postseason picture with three games remaining in their schedule. Despite their precarious position, they are not entirely out of the playoff race.

Messi has been contending with a leg injury for the past month, limiting his playing time to a mere 37 minutes for the Florida-based team. His absence has contributed to Inter Miami’s drop in the Eastern Conference standings.

There’s hope that Messi will make a return this Saturday when Inter Miami faces FC Cincinnati. Could Messi rescue their season, or will they fall short of the playoffs, potentially opening the door for a remarkable reunion with Messi in Spain?