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#Messi: Where are we at? A quick thread on the last 24hrs
•Will Messi leave? That’s the big question. Only he, his inner circle and Barça know the answer to this as of right now.
•Does he want to leave? Different question, the answer to which seems a resounding yes.
•Will Messi leave? That’s the big question. Only he, his inner circle and Barça know the answer to this as of right now.
•Does he want to leave? Different question, the answer to which seems a resounding yes.
•Does Barça want him to leave? Publicly, the club says no. They want him to stay and see out his playing days as an azulgrana. Privately, I’m not so convinced that’s the case.
Based on legal interpretation of Messi’s contract, it seems highly unlikely that he will be able to walk away a free man. In fact, it appears it could lead him to pay a hefty penalty or even be banned from playing for 6 months (should it come to that).
While this could all end up being sorted out in court, I don’t suspect either side want to get entangled in a lengthy, expensive legal battle. Instead it looks like he is trying to pressure Barça for a way out...
...ie open talks w/ Man City for a more “reasonable” fee (bc a couple hundred million is still a lot) that both City can / are willing to pay w/o getting into potential financial trouble (they’d still have to pay a pricey salary I’d imagine) & one in which Barça are happy with.
Important to also remember that Barça are deep in debt, and are in dire need of balancing the books as quickly as possible. The pandemic has also hurt them (like everyone else), in not generating expected revenue over the last few months which hasn’t at all helped matters.
It’s my understanding that an outgoing president & board are liable for any remaining debt. So a transfer fee + reduction of 100M€ pre-tax wage strictly from financial point of view could be very attractive for club. A win-win: an unhappy Messi gets to leave, Barça reduce debt.
As for reports on Bartomeu’s willingness to step down (but board stays) if Messi publicly states he’s the problem while also announcing he stays, to me feels more like a way of saying “I tried” should Messi ultimately go. Of course, there are plenty of other interpretations.
Either way, it’s all immensely complex. This story isn’t going anywhere anytime soon and it’s far from over. Watch this space for more...
