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Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu says he couldn’t let Lionel Messi depart for a direct rival and that he was prepared to just accept the results that got here with that.
Talking concerning the challenge for the primary time since Messi tried to stop Camp Nou, Bartomeu stated he acted in Barca’s greatest pursuits by refusing to let the ahead go.
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Messi, 33, finally decided to stay at Barca for the season, saying he was not prepared to take the membership to courtroom over the wording of a clause in his contract he felt meant he may depart without spending a dime.
In an explosive interview with Objective, when he introduced his determination to remain, Messi accused Bartomeu of mendacity to him and stated the board had been making issues up as they go alongside for years.
“I used to be accused of eager to drive a switch for monetary causes to ‘stability the books,'” Bartomeu stated in a information convention on Monday.
“That is not true. I defended the pursuits of the membership, accepting the results that refusing Messi’s determination to go to one in all our rivals would entail.”
Messi, who can depart without spending a dime when his contract expires in 2021, by no means revealed the place he wished to go, however sources informed ESPN on the time he was in talks with Manchester City, who Barca may face within the latter levels of the Champions League this season.
Bartomeu stated he understood Messi’s frustration within the wake of the 8-2 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich however harassed how necessary it was for him to remain and lead the workforce underneath new coach Ronald Koeman.
“Messi had a contract in vigour,” the president continued. “The choice to rescind the deal unilaterally had expired. And crucial factor was to start out a brand new sporting cycle with Messi within the workforce.
“I perceive he could also be offended about not leaving. I attempted to clarify to him and his household that we couldn’t let him go. He is the important thing to Koeman’s challenge. I hope sooner or later he says he is completely happy, that he desires to resume his contract with the membership and that he ends his profession right here.”
Bartomeu additionally insisted he has not thought of resigning regardless of the actual fact he and his board of administrators are going through a vote of no confidence.
“Resigning has by no means handed by my thoughts,” he added. “It might be irresponsible. With the [coronavirus] pandemic, courageous selections must be made on daily basis. It might be a foul determination to depart the membership within the palms of an administrator.”
Monday was the deadline to repair a date for the vote amongst membership members, however issues brought on by additional coronavirus restrictions in Catalonia have held issues up.
Barca are ready to see if the native authorities will give them the inexperienced gentle to postpone the vote, initially scheduled for Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, till Nov. 15 and Nov. 16.
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