The first chess game between Barcelona and the Messi ended in a draw, but with the contestants ready to continue the duel on the board. As expected, this looks like it will go a long way, but at least, both parties sat at a table for an hour and a half and laid the foundations of their respective starting points, which are at the opposite of each other. While Barça remains rooted in that it does not move from its position of not selling, not negotiating and renewing the star, from the player's side they maintain that the contract is extinguished. But we are at the beginning of the game, in the first movement of a series that, for now, from Barcelona indicate that it has started in a cordial way.
The meeting that was the first meeting after a week of more than frozen relationships and icy WhatsApp messages began around seven in the afternoon in a club facility to be determined, which was neither the headquarters of the offices nor the Ciutat Esportiva .
On behalf of the Messi, Jorge Messi, Leo's father and representative, Rodrigo, the player's brother and Jorge Pecourt, the lawyer specializing in sports law from the Cuatrecasas firm that represents the Messi, attended. On behalf of the club, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Javier Bordas, the president's trusted manager on sports matters related to the first team, sat at the table. After an hour and a half, the duration of a game, in which both parties set out their starting points in the negotiation, the meeting was adjourned without agreement and noting that the distance that separates them is abysmal.
No subsequent meeting was scheduled until Messi's side met that same night with the player himself and they explained what had been said at the meeting.
On the Barcelona side, the position is inflexible. They will not accept a negotiation and challenge the Messi to make a move. For his part, from Leo's side a hand is extended to an agreed exit, but for the moment nothing is negotiated.
They simply want to look good with the club and its fans and close this stage at the Blaugrana club.
Chases
The morning began with the arrival of Jorge Messi to Barcelona on a private flight at 7.45 am. In the corporate terminal of El Prat the media were waiting for him, trying to elicit a few words from him. Jorge Messi limited himself to nodding when asked if the situation was difficult and reiterated that he had neither spoken with City, nor with Guardiola and that he knew nothing.
As soon as he arrived, he went to the headquarters of his offices on Diagonal where he stayed for six hours and left at noon to eat at an Italian restaurant. He arrived alone and after a while Rodrigo Messi, Leo's brother, joined the meal. About four in the afternoon They left in a car that misled the journalists who followed them after a chase and no more was known about the meeting until it was revealed through a leak that had ended.
The first move is made by both parties and it is confirmed that the situation is stagnant. Barça seems to be starting the game with white and yesterday he anticipated his offensive movements with the farewell to Rakitic and the publication on social networks of the poster of the new shirt in which Messi is the absolute protagonist. The long-awaited meeting turned out to be a friendly declaration of hostilities. Now we have to wait for the next move that will not be long in coming. Messi has to play.