In just a few months time they will again gather around a table for a meal, which they will call a 'friendship luncheon' or something similar, but that meal will in no way be friendly, at least not in terms of the relationship between the two clubs' boards of directors, who are anything but the best of friends, something 'los Blancos' confirmed to MARCA yesterday.

The relationship between the two boards has soured over the past few days. FIFA's investigation into Barcelona and their subsequent transfer ban, everything to do with scouting and signing Ødegaard, and Barça's alleged call to FIFA, have all played a part in the type of silent stand-off as yet unseen during Florentino Pérez's presidency.

The Barcelona board believe that Real Madrid are behind the ban imposed on them by FIFA for breaching under-age transfer rules in the signing of players for the club's 'La Masía' academy. Bartomeu and Co. are convinced that the complaint did not originate at one of the clubs involved but at the Santiago Bernabéu. The Catalans' reaction was to send a report to FIFA so that the governing body investigates other Spanish clubs.

The first club to go under the microscope is Real Madrid, followed by Atlético and Valencia. Los Blancos have already been asked twice to provide documentation but this has in no way flustered the club's board. "Everything we do here is completely legal", they said. They went on to add that Barcelona simply want revenge and have reported other clubs out of spite.