As Barcelona inches closer to winning LaLiga, Xavi argued that now is not the time to discuss a potential reconciliation with Lionel Messi.
Barcelona currently holds a commanding 12-point lead in La Liga and a 1-0 lead over Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey semifinal.
The club has already won the Supercopa de Espana, its first trophy since Messi left the team in 2021.
The possibility of a treble still exists for Xavi’s team, but with Messi entering the final stages of his PSG contract, there is an increasing demand for the World Cup champion of Argentina to return to Camp Nou.
Despite his understandable desire to bring his former teammate back to Barcelona, Xavi is more concerned with upcoming games than potential transfer activity.
“I think this is not the time to talk about Messi’s return. I talk to Leo often, I have a friendship, but this is not the time,” he told reporters ahead of facing Elche.
“Neither for his sake nor for that of the club. It is a subject that is being discussed, I have a lot of contact with him.
“Hopefully, we can see him again here, I would be the first one who would be made happy. He is the best player in history, but boy, it’s not the time.
“We are a month away from winning two titles, and it’s time to focus.
“It doesn’t depend on me, it depends much more on what Leo wants to do. He’s done everything in football, he’s won everything; it depends on his happiness.
100 – Messi 🇦🇷 alcanzó los 100 goles con @Argentina. Desde septiembre, Leo jugó 12 partidos con la Albiceleste y solo contra Polonia no pudo anotar, convirtiendo en los 11 restantes. Descomunal. pic.twitter.com/ABsrGzQCnU
— OptaJavier (@OptaJavier) March 29, 2023
“I have a great relationship with him, and if he has the decision that he wants to come back, we will listen to him and be delighted.
“We’re going to listen to fate. Let’s see what happens, there’s nothing yet. Let’s see the will he has.
“We do a disservice to Leo, the team, the club. We are one step away from achieving success in the post-Messi era that scared us so much. This is success.”
Pressed further on Messi and next season, Xavi again sought to shift the focus towards the push for further silverware in this campaign.
“We haven’t talked about next year with the board,” he said. “We are one step away from winning titles and you talk to me about signings next year. You are specialists in changing the subject.
“On Wednesday, we can go to the Copa final. Everything is to be won.
“Sometimes I do not understand you [the media]. All year round, the talk is to win titles, and now that we are one step away, we talk about players for next season. Let’s focus on Elche.”