Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona executives convened for a meal to discuss Joao Félix’s future.
Hours before tonight’s big match at the Metropolitano Stadium, the boards of Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona gathered for a meal at the Di María restaurant in the capital. Enrique Cerezo, president of Atlético, hosted Joan Laporta, his counterpart at Barcelona, along with their executives (vice presidents Rafa Yuste and Juli Guiu, and directors Joan Soler, Xavier Barbany, and Aureli Mas).
Besides enjoying a good meal, featuring Argentinean meat as the star dish, both teams’ boards had the opportunity to chat extensively. According to Roger Torello of Mundo Deportivo, among the topics discussed might have been the future of Joao Félix, who is on loan to Barcelona from Atlético and has a contract until June 2029. The intention of the Portuguese forward is to stay at Barça next season, and Barcelona wants to retain him but not at any cost. As reported on Sunday by MD, Barcelona’s intention is to request a new loan and include a purchase option at the end of it for a symbolic price of 20 million euros, the same amount Atlético paid to recover Griezmann when the Frenchman forced his return to the club.
Enrique Cerezo stated outside the restaurant, “We don’t aspire to the fourth place, we aim for the second or third, that’s why we have the obligation to win today.” About Joao Félix, he said, “He’s our player playing on loan at Barcelona, and you all know his situation, I just hope that if he plays, he doesn’t have his night tonight.” He also said, “To the fans, I would say to treat him like we treat all players who come, with respect and education.” He added, “I don’t know if he will play or not, we’ll see when he steps onto the field, but he should be treated as befits a player of Atlético, playing in Barcelona and respected like all players on this field.” Still regarding Félix, he said, “For us, it’s not a problem; it is what it is, and when the season ends, we’ll decide what happens.”
