A new turn of events in the Messi and Barça separation saga. If, at first, it was reported that club president Josep Maria Bartomeu was considering resigning in reaction to Leo Messi's decision to leave, and then it appeared that he would not only continue but would also dig his heels in and not let the world's best player leave the club on a free pass, now it seems that that president could be willing to step aside if that would take the tension out of the situation.
Catalan public broadcaster TV3 has reported this Thursday that Bartomeu would consider leaving the Barça presidency and delegating responsibility for ending his term to the board if Lionel Messi were to publicly state that this would help keep him at Camp Nou. The Catalan president seems to be doing his best to try to get Messi to reconsider and avoid breaking off with his lifetime club.
Protests around the Camp Nou have been frequent in recent days. This banner rather confusingly reads "Nobita [nickname of Bartomeu] we DON'T want you dead; Messi, stay, Titan, D10S [God]". / Sergi Alcázar.
If in the end, Messi ends up calling the president's bluff, Bartomeu would have no option but to walk away himself, but in reality, Messi's decision seems irreversible. His father Jorge Messi is already at the Etihad stadium in Manchester negotiating with the club managed by Pep Guardiola. City are reported to have offered a 150 million euro transfer sum and two players into the bargain to try to convince Barça to let the Argentinian come north.
At present, it seems that Messi is clear about his decision and the only thing he has in mind is to find a way to be able to pull on a City shirt next season. Bartomeu, meanwhile, besieged by protests large and small outside the club's offices over the past two days, seems to be making concessions to try to win Messi back when it's probably too late.