Barça and Messi 'get closer'

Barça surprised this Wednesday shortly after 11:00 when they announced that Messi was joining the group at the same time as Coutinho, who had already been training for a few days; and that Busquets, Ansu and De Jong, who had been with the Spanish and Dutch teams respectively. The information, accompanied by a photo of Messi in the middle of the group and, beware, with Luis Suárez on his left, is the best sign that Barça is trying to return to normality and that, at least apparently, it has the complicity of the Argentine . Running with the rest of the team under Koeman's watch only after two sessions is very symbolic.

The two sides, because that is how Barça and Messi were divided just a couple of weeks ago, begin to make gestures to get closer. In the worst phase of the storm, the club announced the sale of its first shirt (which had arrived with a factory problem, faded) and put Messi as an image despite the formal announcement of the existence of the burofax. Since the player announced that he was staying at Barça, and despite his resounding attacks against Bartomeu, the club has kept his winks on social networks. Messi has also behaved. After missing training for a week, an issue that the club has ignored precisely so as not to fan more fires, he was the first to arrive at the Ciutat Esportiva on Monday and must have shown the best predisposition to be with the rest of the team. his teammates and even consider playing a few minutes next Saturday against Nàstic.

Closing the cracks in this strong threat of divorce is not going to be easy. It remains to be resolved what is Messi's relationship with the coach, Ronald Koeman; and also with the wardrobe, which for years has regarded him as a demigod but in which he arouses some suspicion after recent events. The question of the captaincy also remains to be resolved. If it is a question of normalizing the scenario, the logical thing is that the six-time Ballon d'Or continues to wear the bracelet even though it is no longer a valid interlocutor with Bartomeu and that a 'delegate' can be appointed for that function, more in a situation of post-pandemic like the current one, in which the salary cuts will force frequent communications between players and the noble floor. Another thing is that Messi voluntarily decides to give up the bracelet, a question that would also mean another seismic movement in Barça.

It is a strange situation but, as if it were the scene after a good family move, everything slowly begins to return to its place. Bartomeu. Koeman, Messi, the dressing room, all parties are aware that many things from the house still have to be put in their place. In gestures, however, he is winning the political correctness of the parties. The next episode, perhaps, will be Suárez's goodbye. Although that photo of the Uruguayan to his left yesterday gives for many interpretations.