Madrid (AFP)
Jorge Messi, father and agent of Lionel Messi, replied "yes" to a Spanish media which asked him about the possibility for the player to remain at FC Barcelona this season, we could see on the images broadcast in the media Thursday.
In front of the cameras of the Spanish television channel Cuatro, Jorge Messi let out a timid "yes" to the question of a journalist who asked him if the entourage of the player "was studying the possibility that Messi remains and that he is go free next year ".
This image was captured as Jorge Messi arrived by car for, according to the press, another day of meetings with the family's lawyers.
Jorge Messi landed in Barcelona on Wednesday morning from Rosario in Argentina, while his son is in the midst of a conflict with the Catalan club he wants to leave, and that he did not show up for the PCR tests for the coronavirus on Sunday nor in collective sessions since the resumption of training at Barça on Monday.
The father and agent of the player was pursued in town by the press throughout Wednesday, and ended up confiding that it would be "difficult" for his son to stay at FC Barcelona.
According to sports media, the leaders of the Catalan club and the Messi clan met for more than two hours Wednesday afternoon, but each remained camped on its positions: the representatives of Messi wanted to negotiate an immediate departure, but Barca have maintained that the Pulga (chip, in Spanish) is in contract until June 30, 2021.
According to Spanish sports media, discussions continue and another meeting could take place between the Messi clan (father Jorge and brother Rodrigo Messi) and the management of the club in the near future, in an attempt to break out of this status quo.
Last week, the six-fold Ballon d'Or caused an earthquake on the football planet by announcing through his lawyers his intention to unilaterally terminate his contract with the Catalan club where he arrived at the age of 13, in 2000.
Messi is claiming a clause in his contract, which runs until June 2021, allowing him to leave the club freely once the season is over.
For Barça, this clause expired on June 10 but the Argentine considers that it is still valid due to the atypical nature of this season, the competitions having been postponed for several months because of the coronavirus pandemic.
© 2020 AFP