Source: Goal
By Sanu Akingbola

It is clear that a major power struggle is underway at Barcelona. Regardless of his comments at Wednesday’s press conference, coach Luis Enrique has told the board that he and Lionel Messi can no longer work together and the Argentine attacker is also considering his future at the club.

The wider situation at Camp Nou has become so poisonous that, following the departures of sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta and club legend Carles Puyol and the subsequent revelations about the relationship between Messi and his coach, an emergency meeting was called on Wednesday. Prior to that, Barca also announced they would bring forward the 2016 presidential elections to the end of this season.

Things were tense between player and coach in the months leading up until Christmas, but it came to a head in an argument on January 2 as Messi returned to training with Barca after his holidays in South America.

Two days later, Luis Enrique left the Argentine on the bench at Real Sociedad and Barca went behind after just two minutes. “You better warm up,” Neymar was then caught telling his team-mate by the television cameras.

At half-time, Luis Enrique sent on Messi to save his side but the Argentine’s apathetic display said much of his state of mind and Barca lost the game 1-0. The forward later exchanged angry words with the club’s psychologist Joaquin Valdes in the tunnel at Anoeta and, the following day, a holiday in Spain, the 27-year-old missed a special training sessions.