Barcelona, runners-up in the Spanish Football League, expressed their “anger” on Wednesday after the newspaper “El Mundo” published information on the terms of the contract renewal of its former Argentine star Lionel Messi in 2020. which he did not do in the end bear fruit.
And the newspaper noted that Messi, and to continue playing with the Catalan club until after the expiry of his contract, which would expire in June 2021, was ready, in 2020 amid the spread of the “Covid-19” epidemic. , to accept a 20% salary cut, but asked for reimbursement within the next two years at an interest rate (3%). He also asked for a reward of 10 million euros for the renewal and reduction of the clause penalty for a symbolic sum of 10 thousand euros.
These requests were contained in the emails exchanged between the player’s father and agent Jorge Messi, the player’s lawyer and officials of the Catalan club, including then-president Joan Bartomeu, to which El Mundo had access.
The Catalan club said in a statement: “FC Barcelona express their indignation at the deliberate leaking of information which is part of a legal proceeding, suggesting that they could bring a lawsuit against the newspaper.”
According to “El Mundo”, the player would also ask for a room at the “Camp Nou” for his family and the family of (Uruguayan) Luis Suarez, and would sponsor a special trip for Messi’s family to Argentina at Christmas or an increase of salary in the event of a tax increase.
The newspaper reported that Messi then received “74.9 million euros net per year” in June 2020 and, after several negotiations, Barcelona did not agree to reduce the player’s penalty clause or pay a bonus of 10 million euros.
And he added that Messi also remained faithful to his requests and “at the end of August 2020, just two months after the last contacts, he sent Borovax to ask for his departure from the club”.
On Wednesday, Barcelona expressed regret that “El Mundo boasts of having access to a huge amount of documents and e-mails in possession of the Persagate investigation”, while this information and these documents “have not yet been shared. with the parties “.
The “Persagate” scandal, revealed by Radio Cadena Ser in 2020, concerns the involvement of the club in the contract of a public relations company to carry out a smear campaign on social networks against the opponents of Bartomeu and personalities such as Messi, Pique, the former coach Pep Guardiola and the current Xavi Hernandez.
The Catalan club confirmed that the published documents “have nothing to do with the investigation of the case and their use damages the reputation and confidentiality of the club”.
Barcelona concluded their statement by saying: For this reason, and with the aim of protecting the rights of FC Barcelona, the legal interests of the club are already studying the appropriate measures to be taken.
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