Catching hitchhiking: Hartl’s journey back to Barcelona

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There are quite a few players who thought of crossing the road and moving from Barcelona to Real Madrid or vice versa, but none of them have experienced what Thomas Hartl has experienced in recent days. Immediately after the loss to Andulo Zero last night (Tuesday) in Istanbul, when Barcelona learned that the French midfielder, who was supposed to sign for Fenerbahce, is closed at Real Madrid – it was decided to keep him in Turkey while his teammates boarded the plane home.

A day later, new details start popping up. So what exactly happened there? Hartl, as is well known, was not in Barça’s plans in the first place and was willing to give up 1.2 million euros to release his contract. He asked the team to travel to Turkey so that he could negotiate with Fenerbahce, but behind the scenes closed with the Catalans’ most hated rival – Real Madrid.

When Barça realized that the whole trip was a “prank” on Hartal’s part, and while he and his teammates were already getting on the group bus that was heading towards the airport, management representatives told him he needed to get off the bus. The same representatives also let his luggage be concentrated, and he was left alone in Istanbul. According to reports, an Andolo Zero player, in front of whom Barcelona played, came to pick him up back at the hotel.

Barça later issued an official statement claiming that “Hartl was not neglected and received the facilities – a hotel for the night, plane tickets and everything needed for the journey back to Barcelona”. In the same announcement, by the way, Barcelona claimed that he and the club decided that he should not play against Andulo in order to avoid possible injuries in view of the termination of the future contract – but in the photos Hartl is seen training with the team in concluding training.

The next day, Hartl took off from Istanbul for Lyon airport – where he “caught a ride” with CSKA who played against Lyon last night. The networks, of course, already wanted a picture of him with Mike James, who defended him, and with Darren Hillard and Russian team president Andrei Votin.

At that time, Barcelona issued an ultimatum to Hartal and his agent: the contract will only be canceled if he does not sign for Real Madrid. And Hartl, as you have already understood, is only interested in moving to Madrid since his family lives in Spain and wants to stay there. By the way, the reports say that all his terms are already closed with Real and only Barça is preventing the deal from closing. One way or another, Hartl himself, according to reports, plans to sue Barcelona and the issue is expected to be resolved in court.

Meanwhile, Barcelona fans have split into two camps: the sane part, which attacks his team’s decision and stands behind Hartal. And the second part, which stands behind the group. Those fans belonging to the second part have already posted a picture of Hartal with a 2016 Real Madrid shirt. And there were also commentators who were in favor of Barcelona in this saga. “Traitors are not being paid,” said Al Chiringito commentator Cristobal Syria. “What Barça did is a phenomenal thing.”

Josep Federroll, another Al Chiringuito reporter, took the other side: “Anti-Madrid dominated Barça’s decision, leaving a player at an airport in the midst of a plague. One of the new president’s tasks will be to oust Barça from people who not only have no place. In the club, but also in basketball. ”

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