Inter Milan And Italian Press Dream Of Messi Barcelona Exit Again Following Koeman Crisis Meeting

Inter Milan and the Italian press are again dreaming of Lionel Messi, after the skipper held a crisis meeting with new FC Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman on Wednesday evening.

According to RAC1, in support of claims made by Esporte Interativo journalist Marcelo Bechler at the weekend, Messi told Quique Setien replacement Koeman that he sees himself “more out of the club than in it”, which has immediately put a string of top European clubs who can afford his wages on alert.

On Friday morning then, as SPORT in Catalonia point out, the front pages of Italy’s two main soccer-covering newspapers, La Gazzetta Dello Sport and Il Corriere Dello Sport, are draped in images and headlines related to the issue.

“Messi open to goodbye and the dream (of Inter) continues,” reads one of the former publication, where it is alleged that the ball is now in the court of Inter owner Zhang Jingdong to make an approach for the Ballon d’Or winner and offer him a proposal that whets his appetite.

A somewhat disturbing illustration of Inter manager Antonio Conte taking off a Jose Mourinho mask the centerpiece, this is accompanied with the phrase “Inter: Coppa and Messi” meaning that the main two objectives for the San Siro giants are now delivering the Europa League trophy in tonight’s final with Sevilla as well as the world’s best player.

“Messi scares Barça” says Il Corriere and explains that “the meeting between Koeman and the Argentine does not reduce the distances” that currently put the Argentine out of sync with the outfit he has been at since the cusp of adolescence.

Rumors first breaking earlier this year and linking Messi to the Nerazzurri, they have gained steam in recent weeks due to two major developments.

First, it was reported late last month that Messi’s father and agent Jorge would move to the Italian fashion capital after purchasing a house there, and presumably in order to take advantage of better tax breaks than residents in Spain are subjected to.

But more importantly, on a sporting level, there has then been the 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the Champions League quarterfinals in Lisbon a week ago and now details of the meeting held with Koeman that has sent shockwaves around the Culer nation and soccer world.