The club-versus-country row surrounding the Olympic Games was no closer to resolution on Wednesday night despite the best efforts of FIFA president Sepp Blatter.
Blatter stepped in after German clubs Werder Bremen and Schalke both filed complaints because their Brazilians Diego, 23, and Rafinha, 22, chose to join up with their country's Olympic squad in defiance of the clubs' wishes.
Blatter wrote to all member associations to reiterate the world governing body's stance the release of players aged 23 or under is 'mandatory' for the Olympics.
However, the day ended with Werder Bremen insisting there was no legal basis for FIFA's position, while Barcelona also got involved, saying it had the support of the Spanish football league (DFL) over its complaints regarding the selection of Argentina forward Lionel Messi.
But Blatter said in his letter: "The release of players below the age of 23 has always been mandatory for all clubs. The same principle shall apply for Beijing 2008."
The fact this tournament is not included in the co-ordinated international match calendar "does not mean that there is no release obligation for the relevant clubs", he added.
"It would appear to be against the spirit of the Olympic regulations to hinder players under the age of 23, who are actually the core of the squads participating in the Men's Olympic Football Tournament, to take part in the final phase of the event."
However, Werder was unimpressed by Blatter's argument, and the club's director of sport Klaus Allofs said the world governing body would be unable to force clubs to release players.
"As in previous publications from FIFA, Blatter is founding his comments on common law and the particular character of the Olympic Games," Allofs said.
"According to the view of our associations the DFB and the DFL, this release has no [legally] binding nature."
Werder has the support of the German Football League, which has advised it to take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
"The DFL and DFB are in agreement that the publication by FIFA contains no new content and our view of the rules remains unaltered," said DFL deputy president Holger Hieronymus.
"We recommend that the clubs, if their attempts to deal with the national associations or the appropriate FIFA committee remain unsuccessful or unanswered, to call the CAS directly."
Schalke have also reiterated their opposition to Rafinha playing in Beijing, and the club has written to both the Brazilian Football Association (CBF) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to ask the defender not play.
The chorus of voices opposing FIFA grew later on Wednesday when Barcelona released a letter of support it had received from the LFP regarding Messi.
The letter said that clubs were not obliged to release players as the tournament is not on FIFA's official calendar.
The letter continued: "The rules of the Olympic football tournaments, approved in the month of January 2007, by FIFA's Executive Committee for the Games of the Olympiad XXIX, also do not impose any obligation for the release of players."
Messi is with Barcelona on its pre-season tour of Scotland, and Argentinian Football Association (AFA) president Julio Grondona has admitted he can do nothing more than cross his fingers and hope the player travels to China.
The clubs' position has been further strengthened by support from the recently-formed European Club Association (ECA) - the successor to the G-14 as a representative of Europe's