Jordi Cases, the Barcelona member who took "legal action" against former Barcelona President Sandro Rosell, "insisted that he will not withdraw the lawsuit" until the club "provides him with written guarantees that no retaliatory action will be taken against him after he steps back," according to Santi Giménez of AS. Cases: "Barça was threatening that it was going to seek a lot of money in damages. I'm calm, but [Barça spokesperson Toni] Freixa has refused to give his agreement in writing, so we're not withdrawing the lawsuit. We're going to hit 'stand-by,' remain passive and wait for movement from Barça." Cases "feels that there must be a pact between each party" and that if this does not materialize, "it's down to the justice system to decide." Cases lawyer, Felipe Izquierdo, "denied that they had been responsible for the leaking of Neymar's contract." Izquierdo said that "it would be worse for Rosell if we were to keep on going. We don't understand Barça’s change in strategy." Izquierdo and Cases "arranged to meet on Sunday to sign a pact but Freixa cancelled the meeting" (AS, 1/27).
BARTOMEU PROMISES CHANGES: In Barcelona, Albert Rogé reported Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu "made a series of statements to the media on Sunday." Bartomeu said of the club's board, "Over the coming days there will be some changes. It's possible that some directors will drop certain responsibilities and take up others. We are very satisfied with the board's work" (SPORT, 1/26).
INVESTIGATION TO CONTINUE: The EFE reported Spanish prosecutor José Perals will "continue to review the case of Barcelona's signing of Neymar." The "court will continue investigating the accusation of possible misappropriation of funds by Rosell" (EFE, 1/27).
N&N HEADQUARTERS VACANT: AS reported N&N Sports, the company owned by Neymar's father and which pocketed €40M in "commission for the purchase of the player last summer, is located in a small unused warehouse, with no doorbell, mailbox and with little sign of human activity," Brazilian website Globoesporte reported. A reporter for the website went to N&N's office and said that the locals "had never seen Neymar, his father or any other famous person" in the vicinity. The business is registered to the ground floor of a two-story house and a "woman who lives in the flat above claimed to 'have only seen a lorry around five times to unload material.'" When contacted by Globoesporte, Neymar's father "declined to comment on the matter" (AS, 1/27).
