Lionel Messi lent ex-Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez his £12m private jet ahead of emotional Nacional return

Seven-time Ballon D’or winner Lionel Messi maintains a close friendship with former Barcelona star Luis Suarez. In fact, the pair recently holidayed together on a private island off Ibiza. However, the closeness of the duo was on display in the recent favor the Argentine conferred upon his former Uruguayan strike-partner.

Following Suarez’s departure from Atletico Madrid this summer, he was primed to complete an emotional return to boyhood club Nacional in Uruguay. To help him complete the move, Lionel Messi lent his friend his £12 million private jet to take him to Uruguay, according to The Sun.

Messi also had an emotional message for the Uruguayan:

The 35-year-old went further, virtually participating in Suarez's unveiling at his hometown club. Messi also sent the former Atletico Madrid star his warmest regards as he embarked on the final leg of his prolific career. The pair’s friendship represents one of the feel-good stories of the beautiful game. These bonds and friendships formed on the pitch are capable of lasting a lifetime. Messi and Suarez enjoyed great successes during their time together at the Catalan giants.

Watch Messi's full message to Suarez below:

Lionel Messi once struck up a terrifying partnership with fellow South Americans Neymar and Luis Suarez at Camp Nou. While the triumvirate eventually came to an end, the trio have maintained a friendship that continues to this day. While Messi currently plays with former teammate Neymar at PSG now, he and Suarez have not played together professionally for two seasons.

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Could Lionel Messi return to Barcelona?

Speculation has been rife about the Argentine playmaker's future at Paris Saint-Germain. It is expected that the 35-year-old will see off his two-year contract by the summer of 2023, and the Blaugrana are reportedly interested in bringing the star back to Camp Nou.

They let go of their legendary player due to financial restraints, as they were unable to renew his contract. However, both Joan Laporta and Xavi Hernandez have made it clear that Camp Nou is Messi's home, and they intend for him to return soon.

There are already reports from Catalonia gaining momentum about Lionel Messi's potential return to Barcelona next year. However, it looks like the star is set to spend another season in Paris. After the upcoming campaign, his future will be up in the air once more.