The strategy duel of Lionel Messi and Josep Bartomeu at FC Barcelona

The strategy duel of Lionel Messi and Josep Bartomeu at FC Barcelona

The possible departure of Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona has caused all the scenarios to be analyzed. From the player's will and his next moves after the burofax sent to the team, to how the Catalan club's board of directors, through its president, Josep Maria Bartomeu, will handle the situation to convince the player or negotiate an eventual sale. The analysis of Raúl Sáenz and Maximiliano Cordaro.

Will Lionel Messi appear at the FC Barcelona medical tests?

FC Barcelona will carry out medical tests on its players this Sunday, prior to the training sessions that start on Monday. It is still unknown if Lionel Messi will appear for them. The Argentine announced this week his intention to leave the Catalan team.

La Liga agrees with Barca on Messi's departure

The league has issued a statement clarifying the contractual situation of  Leo Messi,  who today did not appear for the  PCR test at the  Barça Sports City in his attempt to force the club out. The employer has confirmed the version of  FC Barcelona ensuring that the Argentine has a  contract in force until 2021  and a  termination clause without giving the figure (700 million according to Barça). In the same way, it warns that it will not cancel the federation if it does not pay this clause. Reports  Joan Seixas 

Messi wants a friendly exit from Barcelona

The still Barça player has decided to change his strategy to seek his departure from the Catalan club. As El Periódico has advanced, he has gone from the burofax on Tuesday to ask his agents to agree to a meeting with the Barça club to find a solution. However, the lawyers of the Argentine 10 have recommended that he does not appear in the medical tests so as not to condition a future legal strategy and from the club, they affirm that they will only meet with Messi to renew his contract and that his departure has a price: 700 millions of euros. Josep Capel reports RTVE

FC Barcelona rejects the proposal of  Leo Messi of agreeing his departure from the club and refer to its clause: 700 million. A day after the offer of the president,  Josep Maria Bartomeu, the Barcelona captain responded, but not in the terms in which the president would have wanted.

According to TVE in Catalonia, Messi's intention was to soften the tension caused by his burofax and find a friendly way out; but in any case exit. The meeting was to be this Saturday telematically between representatives of the club, coach  Ronald Koeman, the player's advisers, and his father, Jorge Messi, who is also a representative. But Barça has not accepted. Rosario knows that no team is in a position to pay the  700 million of its termination clause. According to several Spanish and English media,  Manchester City is willing to offer 100 million and several players, such as Gabriel Jesús and defender Eric García.

That of the Premier seems the most viable option, since  Messi would meet again there with  Pep Guardiola and would be, according to the same media, even willing to lower the card. HOWEVER

Bartomeu, ready to resign if Messi says "publicly" that he stays

The president of  FC Barcelona,  Josep Maria Bartomeu, is willing to sacrifice himself as long as  Leo Messi renounces his idea of ​​leaving. Bartomeu would agree to resign from his position if the Barça captain publicly says he is staying, as confirmed by TVE.

His position would be occupied by a member of the current board of directors, which would not imply an electoral advance. The presidential elections are scheduled for March 2021, as confirmed by the board that approved the removal of Quique Setién at the beginning of the current crisis.

The information, advanced this Thursday by TV3 and confirmed by TVE, is that the president's wish is for a public statement by Messi to be produced in which he says that the problem is Bartomeu himself.

If the said statement is accompanied by a reversal of his declared intention to leave the club, then the one who would take the exit door would be Bartomeu for Messi to stay...