Only losers remain in Messi’s exchange group: Bartomeu’s fate is sealed

As he is not allowed to change, Lionel Messi will remain loyal to FC Barcelona in the next season. For President Josep Maria Bartomeu, that can only mean the end. A comment.

Ronald Koeman makes it clear when he takes over as new FC Barcelona coach: Travelers should not be stopped. “I just want to work with players who want to be here,” announced the Dutchman. Yet just three weeks later, Koeman has no choice but to violate his principle.

He owes it to Lionel Messi. Or more precisely: the management of the club around the president of Barça, Josep Maria Bartomeu. She doesn’t want to let the magic flea get free and therefore forces her to stay.

Messi obeys, but does not hide that he would have preferred to leave: “I am staying because the president has told me that I can only leave if this clause is activated.”

“My attitude will not change”

But how can Messi re-identify with the club after everything that has happened? “I will continue at Barça and my attitude will not change, no matter how much I wanted to leave,” says the 33-year-old, adding: “I will do the best I can. I always want to win. I hate losing. I always want the best for the club, my teammates and myself. ”

However, the weaknesses identified in the club that gave Messi hope of leaving are still there. «I wanted to have a winning project, win the club title and make the Barcelona legend even bigger. The truth is, there hasn’t been a project or anything in a long time. They get tangled up and cover gaps as time passes ”, Messi attacked the club’s leaders again on Friday.

Messi or Bartomeu, but not both

Above all, the tablecloth between him and President Bartomeu is cut, no reconciliation is in sight, especially after the last days. Bartomeu kept the door tightly closed for a week and a half until an agreement was reached, although the 57-year-old was probably also interested in personal pride.

That should have increased the resentment of Messi, who accuses the president of breaking his word. “The management of Josep Bartomeu is a disaster,” Messi said in clear words on Friday night: a common Barça future for the two is inconceivable with the best will.

If the president doesn’t resign soon, Messi will most likely sign with another club in January, and Bartomeu’s partial success would be worth nothing. Because then the 57-year-old player will go down in Barça history as the president under whom Messi fled.