Barcelona midfielder Fermin Lopez has expressed his desire to see Lionel Messi return to the club, saying he would not mind being benched if it meant sharing the dressing room with the Argentine legend.
Lopez, who broke into Barcelona’s first team after Messi’s departure, described the Inter Miami captain as his dream teammate and the only player he would choose to re-sign for the Catalan giants.
Speaking to the media, the Spanish midfielder said Messi’s presence would outweigh any personal sacrifice.
“If I could choose anyone to sign for Barca, I would pick Leo Messi,” Lopez said. “If they bench me for Messi, so be it.”
The 21-year-old added that he is currently enjoying the best form of his career and is confident in his all-round game. He stressed that his focus remains on contributing to the team through goals and assists.
“Right now, I believe this is my best year so far. I really believe in my abilities across every part of the game and I put in my best effort to show my strengths on the pitch,” he said.
“I want to support the team as much as possible. Because of the role I play, I know I need to score goals and make assists, and I hope I can contribute even more.”
Messi left Barcelona in 2021 after the club failed to renew his contract due to financial constraints. He went on to spend two seasons at Paris Saint-Germain before joining Major League Soccer side Inter Miami in June 2023, shortly before Lopez began featuring regularly for Barcelona’s senior team.
