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Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has denied being behind the sensational leak of Lionel Messi‘s £492million contract to the media.
Full particulars of Messi’s four-year contract, signed in 2017 and attributable to expire this summer time when he can depart the Nou Camp for nothing, have been revealed by El Mundo on the weekend.
It revealed that the mix of mounted wage, picture rights, variables and tax Barcelona must pay on the contract quantities to €555,237,619 over its period.
Ex-Barca president Josep Bartomeu (proper) and Messi shake palms on the 2017 contract signing
The determine was revealed by Spanish paper El Mundo, outlining Barcelona’s monetary woes
El Mundo leaked the participant’s contract (left) on Sunday and infuriated Messi’s camp
The newspaper ran the story underneath a headline that stated Messi, 33, will ‘break Barcelona’ with the Argentine star planning to pursue authorized motion in opposition to El Mundo and anybody on the membership discovered to have handed on the confidential info.
Bartomeu, who resigned from the membership final October and whose relationship with Messi soured when he wasn’t allowed to depart final summer time, has denied leaking the contract.
‘It is utterly false [I was involved in the leak],’ he advised TV3 in Spain. ‘It is a very critical concern as a result of it is utterly unlawful to leak any skilled contract to the media.
‘It is easy to make accusations however this isn’t a joke and it’ll find yourself in courtroom.
‘Messi deserves all the pieces he earns, be that for skilled or business causes. With out the pandemic, Barcelona could be greater than able to paying these numbers.’
Barcelona haven’t but formally changed Bartomeu as president with elections scheduled for March 7.
Main candidates Joan Laporta and Victor Font have each come out in assist of Messi for the reason that story was revealed.
Barcelona’s gross debt has risen to over £1billion because of the pandemic and there are real questions as to whether or not they can afford to maintain Messi even when he desires to remain past the summer time.
Revealing Messi to be the highest-paid sportsman of all-time by far, the contract ensures the participant €138m (£122m) a season in gross wage.
He earned a ‘renewal payment’ of €115m (£102m) for accepting the contract and is alleged to take residence €79m (£69m) annually in a ‘loyalty’ bonus for staying on the Nou Camp.
With 5 months left on the deal, Messi has already earned an eye-watering €511m (£452m).
The report additionally broke down a number of the bonuses awarded to Messi for the reason that 2017-18 marketing campaign.
Bartomeu (left) was president of Barcelona when Messi prolonged his contract till 2021
Messi provided a well timed reminder of his class by scoring in Sunday evening’s win over Bilbao
As part of his present deal, Messi earned an additional £616,172 (€695,748) for profitable FIFA’s Greatest Participant award in the course of the 2018-19 marketing campaign.
The Argentine can be assured a whopping £3.1m (€3.5m) if Barcelona win the Champions League – one thing the membership hasn’t achieved since 2015.
Different variables embrace Messi banking one other £1.75m (€1.9m) if he performs 60 per cent of video games whereas he’ll obtain additional funds every knockout stage of the Champions League he reached, in addition to profitable LaLiga and the Copa del Rey.
Barcelona’s and Messi’s disastrous marketing campaign final season additionally noticed the membership dodge having to pay lots of the variables in his contract, whereas the talismanic ahead additionally agreed to 70 per cent pay reduce to his wage as a result of coronavirus pandemic – as did the remainder of the Barcelona squad.
Out of the ten variables listed, solely one among them was met which got here after the Catalan membership reached the final 16 of the Champions League and noticed Messi financial institution £985,966 (€1.1m) for doing so.
In whole, the jaw-dropping £492m whole makes Messi’s contract the largest in sports activities historical past, beating the likes of Patrick Mahomes’ £402m 10-year cope with the Kansas Metropolis Chiefs and Canelo Alvarez’s £292m five-fight cope with DAZN.
The leak has infuriated Messi’s camp who are actually trying to put together a lawsuit in opposition to El Mundo in consequence, in response to RAC1.
The Barcelona captain curled residence from 25 yards, even with one Athletic participant on the road
It was Messi’s 650th purpose for Barcelona, in his first LaLiga recreation since a pink card suspension
Following information of the leak, Barcelona acknowledged that it regretted the publication of the personal doc whereas asserting their assist for Messi.
The assertion learn: ‘In view of the data revealed at the moment within the newspaper El Mundo, in relation to the skilled contract signed between FC Barcelona and the participant Lionel Messi, the membership regrets its publication on condition that it’s a personal doc ruled by the precept of confidentiality between the events.
‘FC Barcelona categorically denies any duty for the publication of this doc, and can take applicable authorized motion in opposition to the newspaper El Mundo, for any injury that could be brought about because of this publication.
‘FC Barcelona expresses its absolute assist for Lionel Messi, particularly within the face of any try to discredit his picture, and to break his relationship with the entity the place he has labored to turn out to be the very best participant on the planet and in soccer historical past.’
The main candidates for the presidency have been fast to capitalise on the leak.
Laporta advised Rac1: ‘Messi has not ruined the membership. That was the earlier board, who’ve misplaced all reasoning since 2016.
‘All these tales present an entire lack of respect to Barca. However given the shortage of governance on the membership with no president, it is simpler for these items to occur.’
Laporta was president of the membership between 2003 and 2010 and is favorite to be elected once more
Font advised Onda Cero: ‘We now have to do all the pieces doable to retain Messi. That was true in 2017 and it is nonetheless true now.
‘Messi generates that a lot and extra for the membership. To counsel the membership is ruined due to him is a very inaccurate conclusion.’
Barca supervisor Ronald Koeman, talking after Messi scored his 650th purpose for the membership in opposition to Athletic Bilbao on Sunday evening stated the membership ought to fireplace anybody discovered to have leaked the contract.
The irate Barcelona coach stated: ‘What has come out is meant to break him. Messi deserves respect.
‘He has completed a lot for Spanish soccer. There are individuals out to harm Barcelona and Messi. If it seems to be somebody on the within then that could be very unhealthy and they need to haven’t any future on the membership.’
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