Barcelona insisted that they had not heard from Lionel Messi that he desires to go away the membership, as an emergency board meeting was being held at Camp Nou on Monday. Barca officers, together with under-fire president Josep Maria Bartomeu, had been resulting from talk about wholesale modifications following the workforce’s humiliating 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat by Bayern Munich on Friday. A report from Esporte Interativo on Sunday even claimed Messi has made up his thoughts to go away this summer time, though a Barcelona supply informed AFP shortly earlier than the board assembly was resulting from begin that there had nonetheless been no communication with the membership to that impact.
Messi’s frustration might be among the many points to be mentioned together with the way forward for coach Quique Setien, who is anticipated to be sacked.
Ronald Koeman had emerged because the favorite on Monday to interchange Setien given considerations across the suitability of Mauricio Pochettino, who has beforehand mentioned he would by no means coach Barcelona resulting from his hyperlinks to rivals Espanyol.
An alternative choice is Barca B coach Garcia Pimienta, who might oversee a higher emphasis on youth earlier than a longer-term appointment is made after the presidential elections subsequent yr.
Former Barca midfielder Xavi Hernandez could be the popular possibility of Messi and different senior gamers however Xavi has not too long ago signed a brand new take care of Qatari membership Al-Sadd and is in opposition to working below the present board.
One other potential end result of Monday’s assembly is that the membership’s presidential elections, due in June 2021, are introduced ahead, though it’s extra seemingly they might be superior to earlier subsequent yr than the following few months.
Sporting director Eric Abidal may even have his future mentioned and may very well be moved on.
Defender Gerard Pique known as for sweeping modifications after describing the heavy loss to Bayern, Barca’s worst ever in Europe, as their “all-time low”.
However Bartomeu requested for persistence. “We’re hurting, however as soon as we get to subsequent week we are going to begin making choices,” he informed tv channel Movistar.
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“The credibility of a coach is diminished when this occurs, clearly. That’s apparent, however that doesn’t hassle me proper now.
“I feel what occurs at the moment must be analysed with a bit extra perspective,” he added.
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