Leo Messi's father, Jorge Messi - who is also the football representative of the champion striker - has arrived in Barcelona. As he got out of a car shortly before his crucial meeting with the Barça club, he was put on the spot briefly by a reporter from the Spanish football programme El Chiringuito and his replies were short and to the point:
"How do you see it?" "Unlikely" "Unlikely that Leo ends up staying at Barça?" "Yes".
Asked about the future of the Barcelona club, his reply was similar: "It's complex." He also denied having met with Pep Guardiola to negotiate his son's immediate future, which is tipped to be at Man City.
The future, whether in the Premier, the Spanish Liga or another European competition, is an unknown quantity at Can Messi.
🚨 BOMBAZO del padre de MESSI:
— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) September 2, 2020
💣💥 “Leo lo tiene DIFÍCIL PARA QUEDARSE en el BARÇA”.
IMAGEN #JUGONES pic.twitter.com/TpZ7If5t1D
The meeting between Jorge Messi and FC Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu was originally scheduled for this afternoon. Finally, it was brought forward to noon.
The main bone of contention: whether the six-time Ballon d'Or winner will be able to leave his lifetime club on a free transfer, as he desires and believes he is entitled to; or whether the Barça club will insist on the payment of the 700 million euro buy-out clause, which it says must be honoured if he leaves now. So, most likely, an argument about the price - but one that could, given all that is at stake, get extremely messy.