BARCELONA — Lionel Messi's father and agent met Barcelona club president Josep Maria Bartomeu on Wednesday to discuss the player's wish to leave the club but the talks ended in stalemate, Spanish media reported.

Earlier, Jorge Messi said it would be "difficult" for his son to remain with Barcelona, the only club he has ever played for professionally.

In the wake of Barcelona’s humiliating 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich, club president Josep Maria Bartomeu spoke of “a disaster” that necessitated “some decisions” because “this isn’t the Barça that we believe in.”

LaLiga on Sunday released a statement saying Lionel Messi's Barcelona contract was still valid, days after his shock announcement that he wants to leave the club and hours after he failed to attend a pre-season medical.

Messi's failure to show for his medical underlined the 33-year-old's determination to leave the club he has been with throughout his career.

MADRID — Lionel Messi will not take a planned preseason coronavirus test on Sunday or return to training on Monday after his shock announcement earlier this week that he wants to leave Barcelona, Spanish media reported on Saturday.

Spanish sports paper Marca said Messi was "going to war" with his lifelong club by making the decision.

La Vanguardia reported Messi will send another burofax, the method by which he told the club he wanted to leave, to inform them of his decision not to join his teammates for the first training session under new coach Ronald Koeman.