Embattled Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu is prepared to resign if Lionel Messi will reaffirm his commitment to the club, according to ESPN’s Sam Marsden and Moises Llorens.
Tales Azzoni and Joseph Wilson of the Associated Press showed on Tuesday that Messi had told Barcelona that he wanted to leave this summer. Marsden and Llorens reported that Bartomeu’s resignation would not be enough for Messi to replace course.
Barcelona has already postponed its presidential election from next summer to March 2021 and Bartomeu cannot run for office.
While Bartomeu will be absent one way or another, some have questioned whether Messi’s audiences are asking for a way to expedite his departure.
Whether Messi stays in Barcelona or leaves, Bartomeu will have to resign. The absolute mess of a presidency, crystallized in the widespread disillusionment of the greatest player in the club’s history
The club has already sacked coach Quique Setien and director Eric Abidal after the 8–2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich. Messi and Abidal had engaged in a pre-word war in the season.
A clause in his agreement allowed Messi to leave with a loose move if he informed Barcelona of his resolution until the end of June. It is known whether the wording of his contract means that the deadline has been extended since the COVID-19 pandemic delayed the conclusion of the European national leagues.
Sid Lowe of the Guardian, however, questioned whether the scenario had worsened beyond the point where Messi would return to Camp Nou on the basis of this close legal battle:
“This is not a way to seek reconciliation. When either side has reached the point of speaking via lawyers and official letters, there is not much love left. All that remains is to negotiate or fight, restrict the pain or the threat by multiplying it. Array The query now is what this clause says: does it set an express date? And when? If this is the case, the legal position is clear. Otherwise, if you say something more vague, referring instead to a variation on “the end of the season”, then this can be discussed in court. And, yes, you can end up on the court: club instead of captain.
“Captain? The most productive player they’ve ever had. The most productive player they’ve ever had, perhaps. There is no acceptable solution now.”
In addition, Barcelona potentially faces a primary reconstruction from the heights enjoyed under managers Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique. Bartomeu’s resignation alone would not mean that the club and Barca potentially face a radical replacement of direction resulting from the presidential election.
Messi turned 33 in June and spent some of his primary school years watching Barcelona disintegrate around him. The six-time Golden Ballony winner would probably be tired of waiting for things to get better.