I think it is a power play, but not a bluff.
The club is in horrible situation, due to the last board mistakes, covid and health authorities in Catalonia, high earners and Liga regulations.
All of this are well known to everyone.
In business, no one is gonna be merciful to you in such condition, everyone wants to take advantage of the situation.
So here we have it, not a single player not named Pique agreed on significant pay cut under Laporta, no player accepted to leave peacefully when he was told to.
You have agents taking advantage on us (Moriba) and clubs telling us to pay them to take the players, like Atletico basically wanting us to pay most of the difference in wage between Saul and Griezmann. Everyone thinks he can throw us a bone and we will take it gladly because we are desperate.
Now we are seeing La Liga doing this, agree the deal we gave you, or no Messi. A deal that the club firmly refuse and thinks it is illegal. A deal that will hunt the future boards, odds are Laporta won't be alive at the end of the deal (maybe not even midway in it) but he was never "I don't give a damn about what happens after" type of president. He doesn't go YOLO.
It has been always the story this summer : ACCEPT OUR TERMS OR THERE IS NO MESSI.
Laporta simply refused that, he won't be forced to risk the club future for Messi. It is basically I accept losing Messi than being under others own terms.
That is a power play.
He fully acknowledge that we will lose Messi, I think he accepts that. But it is a situation where you can only win if you are willing to walk away, not granted to win, but if you don't you are granted a loss.
If La Liga accepts it under pressure, Laporta will be happy, but I believe they will now act with the assumption that this is over, Liga taking a step back will be just a good surprise.
Doubt Tebas will allow us exception atm, he is now in full war against his top clubs. Barca, RM, Athletic and Valencia are mad about him (CVC/Cap) along the likes of Levante and Getafe. He is going to election next year and might not even need a single Liga club to win with 2nd division clubs alone being majority.
He is a stubborn man.
They get the last laugh. Payback for meddling with Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Neymar transfers I guess.
