Showdown talks between Messi's agent and father, Jorge Messi, and Barcelona president Josep María Bartomeu have concluded for the day, and judging by the information leaked to the press, it seems that neither side of this equation is ready to give into the other's demands.
The meeting, which was held during the late hours of the evening, ended up with Jorge Messi leaving Camp Nou Stadium without any agreement regarding his son's future. On the other side of the table, president Bartomeu reportedly stated that Los Culés will not let Messi leave unless any team pays them the player's buyout clause.
Perhaps the biggest development in this meeting came from Messi's father. According to ESPN journalist Moisés Llorens, the Argentine told Bartomeu that Messi "will never play for Barcelona again." As bold as this statement may seem, it has given fans and experts an idea on how reluctant the player and his inner circle are in terms of sitting down and negotiating with the current Blaugrana board.
On the other hand, Bartomeu and his party offered Messi's father a two-year contract extension in response. That deal had already been offered to Messi before the coronavirus crisis in Spain, and it also hints that Barcelona will try to twist Messi's arm to reconsider his stance.
Last, but not least, reports coming in from Spain suggest that Bartomeu has insisted to see Lionel Messi voicing his thoughts and saying why he wants to leave the club. Experts and those close to Messi's inner circle suggest that this could be the only way for Barcelona to enter negotiations to let Messi leave, even if that means that this Barcelona board will be held accountable for letting the best player in franchise history out the door. Only time will tell if they can reap any benefits from his exit.
