What happened: Inter president Marotta said club-to-club negotiations were impossible because the club considers Martínez indispensable to winning titles. Martínez said last week that he had chosen to remain with Inter.

Why it matters: Barcelona loses a potential route to a No. 9, while Inter retains the centerpiece of its attack. Martínez's two-goal performance against Napoli on Saturday underlined the immediate competitive cost of selling him.

What to watch: Barcelona's next striker-market move bears watching, while Martínez's form will help shape Inter's title campaign.