I think this became personal on a few levels... shitty behaviour by Barca - tapping up the player, lowballing with pathetic unrealistic offers. A history between a number of City's Execs and the Barcelona Board - clearly no love loss there, and some of Barca's underhand tactics in the past clearly still rankle (passing those Mancini stories around ahead of the Cup Final being a case in point). Garcia's behaviour, he's behaved badly, chanced his arm and been put in his place, I have no issues with him wanting out, but he should have said at the outset he wanted to go - and not start the process of running his contract down by stringing the club along saying he'd sign an extension when he clearly had no (or little) intention of doing so. A few months with the kids or a loan to Bolton are his only options for a few months. If Barca really wanted him they'd have tried harder to get him. I suspect little Garcia is no more than a pawn in a power struggle between Executive egos... Barca thought taking him back would upset City but when it came to the crunch they didn't want him enough to stump up cash they don't have. On top of that City have clearly manoeuvred Messi in a place where he is going to leave for us on a free at some point and Barcelona's Board will be feeling bruised and upset - so there is a state of war between the two clubs with Garcia caught in the crossfire - no wonder he's taken to wearing a helmet!
