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BARCELONA. — Lionel Messi is said to be losing around €100 000 (£86 000) a day following his departure from Barcelona last month.
Messi, who was on international duty with Argentina and won the Copa America final against Brazil on Sunday morning, is now a free agent after a tumultuous year with Barcelona.
The 34-year-old’s future remains undecided, although Ronald Koeman has “full confidence” in president Joan Laporta to re-sign their star man despite the club’s financial crisis.
Messi has remained coy about whether he will stay with the Catalan giants, who are in a deep financial crisis that is one of the biggest barriers to keeping hold of their talisman.
Messi’s decision to stall over a new contract with the club has resulted in a loss of €100 000 (£86 000) a day, according to French outlet L’Equipe.
The Argentina international previously earned €139m gross per year. However, should he sign a new contract with the Catalans, that figure will decrease significantly.
Barcelona are in a financial crisis after exceeding LaLiga’s strict salary limit by a 40 per cent.
The league’s Financial Fair Play rules limit what each club spends on salaries every season.
According to Catalan radio RAC 1, Barcelona’s limit was £296m (€347m) last year and now it’s £136m (€160m).
Therefore, the Catalan giants need to wipe 187m euros off their existing wage bill to be within an acceptable bracket.
Unfortunately for Barca, the Argentine is said not to be in a charitable mood – having given he has done nothing but bring revenue and trophies for the last 15 years.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s Copa America champions return to a hero’s welcome in their homeland as hundred of people crowded to see them come home.
Messi and company were treated to the sight of a sea of people clamouring to surround their team bus on its arrival in Buenos Aires from Rio de Janeiro.
Argentina beat their fiercest rivals Brazil 1-0 in the Copa America final at the famed Maracana stadium on Saturday, thanks to Angel Di Maria’s goal.
The win gave Argentina their first major trophy since 1993, when they last won the Copa America, and almost as importantly, Messi got his first winner’s medal with the national team.
”I had been very close (to winning a title) for many years. I knew that it was going to come right at some point, and I think there is no better moment than this,” said Messi, who will be 35 by the time of the World Cup in Qatar next year. — Mailonline
Online Reporter