[ad_1]
Ronald Koeman has landed in Barcelona planning talks with Lionel Messi and Josep Maria Bartomeu.
The new coach was filmed by Sport arriving back in the city today having found himself in the middle of the chaos.
Koeman was appointed as Quique Setien’s replacement earlier this week before returning to the Netherlands for a few days.
He returned on Friday afternoon hatching confrontational talks with Messi and Bartomeu to chart the future of the club.
Argentine superstar Messi took a U-turn and wants to hold a meeting with the club to discuss his future after sending a burofax earlier this week telling them he wanted to leave immediately.
But the club is taking a tough approach and vowing to refuse to meet its star man saying “there is nothing to discuss” unless he arrives to sign a new deal.
(Image: Sport)
“Or is it to renew [his contract] or there is nothing to discuss ”, said the Catalan club to Marca.
Koeman reportedly wants to sit down with Messi and Bartomeu to lay the groundwork for what the club will be next season.
He also wants to get involved in a new attempt to convince Messi to stay and determine the exact situation he faces.
But Bartomeu is reportedly resisting having decided that he will step aside if Messi publicly declares that he is the problem and promises to stay if he resigns.
Meanwhile, Koeman reportedly infuriated Messi in their first encounter with his authoritarian approach.
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The Spanish press alleged that Koeman told Messi: “The privileges in this squad are over, you have to do everything for the team.
“I will be inflexible; you just have to be thinking about the team ”.
Barcelona are due back for preseason on Monday with Koeman and Messi for coronavirus testing on Sunday.
The showdown comes as Barcelona refuse to give up their position and promise not to sell unless their buyout clause is met.
[ad_2]
