Barcelona appear to be determined to make a deal to bring back Lionel Messi work, no matter how many headaches it causes them this summer. According to El Chiringuito (via Diario AS), officials of both La Liga and Barcelona ate together in Madrid as they discussed a potential way of bringing the Argentine back to Spain.
Director of Football Mateu Alemany and Treasurer Ferran Olive met with Corporate General Director Javier Gomez and General Executive Director Oscar Mayo from La Liga in order to discuss the matter in a restaurant in Madrid. The four of them spent an hour and fifteen minutes together, with the two La Liga representatives leaving thereafter. Alemany and Olive remained in the restaurant for a further two hours to make calculations.
Alemany called it ‘an informal meeting’ on his way out of the restaurant. The Mallorqui native is in charge of negotiations and making the numbers work at Barcelona – his work will be crucial again this summer. It is his job to present the viability plan to La Liga which will open the door to further signings should it be accepted.
There appears to have been a softening of stances between La Liga and Barcelona in recent weeks, with President Javier Tebas stating that he would love to see Messi return. Alemany would later tell the press that despite Messi spending several days in Barcelona over last weekend, the club had not been in contact with him.
I’m sure Leo was less than thrilled about coming back again if he witnessed that embarrassment put on by his beloved club last night.