The Mail Online has taken a very free artistic expression in the translation of Michel Barnier's comments.
Where Michel Barnier used the tense, 'could have', 'might have been', etc. The Mail have used tenses like 'has been', and used expressions like 'has admitted' etc.
If I can find a translated version of Michel Barnier's comments I'll post it on here for all to judge rather than relying on the Mail Online's artistic translation.