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BARCELONA. — Barcelona have said the club will take legal action against El Mundo after the Spanish newspaper released leaked details of Lionel Messi’s record-breaking contract yesterday.
The newspaper published documents it claimed that Messi signed in 2017. The documents showed that Messi’s contract is worth €555 million (£492 million) over four seasons.
The newspaper said it is the most expensive contract ever agreed with an athlete in any sport. What did the leaked documents show? According to El Mundo, Messi could receive €555,237,619 (£491,732,285) over four seasons, if a series of conditions were met, while being paid a basic salary of around €72 million (£63.76 million) annually. The newspaper claims the contract Messi signed was highly incentivised.
Messi was allegedly paid a €115 million (£102 million) renewal bonus just for signing the contract as well as a €77 million (£68.19 million) ‘loyalty bonus’ which was split into two payments. The newspaper adds Messi receives further bonuses for playing more than 60 per cent of games throughout the course of a season, as well as progression in the Champions League, winning La Liga or the Copa del Rey, and winning FIFA’s The Best award.
The report said the 33-year-old player may have already secured more than €510 million euros (£451.67 million) of the total.
So, has Messi really earned €510m from Barcelona since 2017?
No! Barcelona’s players also accepted a 70 per cent pay cut in March at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic and pledged donations to help the club’s non-sport staff continue to receive their full wages.
Messi would also have to pay about half of his annual salary in taxes in Spain.
And a number of the performance-related bonuses have not been met.
How have Barcelona reacted?
Barcelona denied responsibility for leaking the document and said it would take legal action against the newspaper.
“The club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties,” it said in a statement.
“FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.” How has Messi reacted?
Messi has not immediately made any public comments about the report.
Barcelona, meanwhile, expressed theirabsolute support for Messi, especially in the face of any attempt to discredit his image, and to damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history.”
How controversial is this?
It is very controversial as the leak comes at a time when Barcelona are attempting to manage a huge debt created mostly because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The club has total debts of almost €1.2 billion, of which €730 million was due to be repaid in the short term, €266 million to various banks by June 30.
Barcelona’s financial woes are such that the club are increasingly interested in establishing a European Super League.
The club’s manager, Ronald Koeman, has made a surprising admission about the club’s expectations for the ongoing season.
The Catalan giants finished last season without a trophy, which signallled the end of Quique Setién’s tenure at the club.
With the club having already missed out on one trophy this season after losing to Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup final, Koeman admits trophies will be hard to come by right now.
“I have said several times that this is a season where we are changing things, we are opting for young players,” Koeman told reporters. “Barcelona are not about to win a lot of things right now.
“We have to be realistic about where we’ve come from, the changes we’ve made. . . not everything depends on one player.
‘’We always have to be ready to fight, but we have to be realistic.
“We know our situation in La Liga, it’s complicated.” — The Athetic.
Online Reporter