Messi tells Barça that he will not attend the tests tomorrow

The FC Barcelona 2020/21 squad opens the curtain this Sunday with the appointment at the Ciutat Esportiva to pass the PCR test, as a step prior to the start of training from Monday. Total 31 footballers have been summoned by Ronald Koeman to attend the coronavirus tests. All eyes were and are on Leo Messi. Until this noon, no one at the club knew for sure whether or not the Argentine will go to the Ciutat Esportiva to undergo the PCR test. As well, RAC1 assures that the forward has already communicated to Barça that he will not appear tomorrow for these analyzes, so he maintains his position of not continuing in the club. A clear message that he is willing to go to the last consequences to leave the club: he could not start training with the rest of his teammates because he did not pass the security protocol established by LaLiga.

AS already assured that this attitude of the player was the most likely, waiting for his lawyers to resolve the procedures for his departure with Barcelona. It will undoubtedly be a new escalation to the conflict opened by the player, since he sent a burofax to announce his desire to leave the entity, availing himself of a unilateral liberating clause that is included in his contract. Meanwhile, City, PSG and Inter await events.

Accompanying Messi as a great center of attention will also be his friend, forward Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan already knows from Koeman that he is not available for the new season and that a team must be found immediately. Other cases of players who already know that they are not counted on, such as Rakitic or Vidal, will also capture a good part of the attention.

With the confirmed decline of the Bosnian Miralem Pjanic, who is confined to his home after testing positive last week for COVID19, and the doubt of Jean Clair Todibo and Samuel Umtiti, both also confined after confirming their positives, the rest of the players are summoned first thing in the morning to go staggered to the Blaugrana facilities. From here, a total of 29 players have to pass through the Ciutat Esportiva, including those on loan and new ones who have been practicing for more than two weeks. Also a convalescent Ter Stegen, after undergoing surgery to solve his discomfort in the patellar tendon in his right knee.

Nor will, in principle, the Brazilian Philippe Coutinho, who could be allowed after winning the Champions League with Bayern in the final on 23 August.

The rest, including the internationals who will march with their national teams from Monday -Sergio Busquets, Ansu Fati, Lenglet, Griezmann, Semedo, Trincao, Riqui Puig, Miranda and Pedri- They will go this Sunday to the Ciutat Esportiva to start the new project with Ronald Koeman at the helm.