FC Barcelona's Brazilian midfielder Arthur was absent on Tuesday to resume training for his team and could well be penalized. "The player did not join the squad as planned and measures are under consideration," said a source, without giving more details on the reason for the disagreement between the player, already absent in the last La Liga meetings, and Barça.
According to the Spanish press, the Brazilian is in his country and refuses to join the team even though he has not played a single minute since his transfer to Juventus was announced on June 30 as part of a exchange with Bosnian veteran Miralem Pjanic.
MD:
Technical secretary Eric Abidal called Arthur by phone to try to convince him to return to Barcelona, but he failed. pic.twitter.com/72AJYDvsLB
The round of 16 against Napoli in the sights of the Blaugranas
The two clubs had agreed that the two players should remain in their respective formations until the end of the official competitions for the 2019/2020 season, strongly disrupted by the coronavirus epidemic. Also according to Spanish media, the player allegedly claimed that coach Quique Setién told him he would no longer play.
"Arthur has said he has no plans to return and has requested the termination of his contract with the Blaugrana club," the online edition of Barcelona newspaper Mundo Deportivo reported on Tuesday . Barça would have no intention of accepting this request and would even have opened disciplinary proceedings against his player.
The Blaugrana players resumed training on Tuesday after a few consecutive days of rest at the end of the Spanish league on July 19, in order to prepare for the Champions League second leg against Napoli on August 8 (1-1 in the first leg).
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