The newspaper “El Mundo” blew up a resounding surprise regarding the mythical demands of Lionel Messi, which ignited the crisis of renewing the contract with Barcelona, and thus leaving the club.
The newspaper reached secret files carrying all Messi’s contracts since he joined La Masia until the moment he left the club with tears.
The details of the contracts over the 20 years that Messi spent inside the Camp Nou walls seem logical until the turning point that caused his departure came.
According to “El Mundo”, the story began in 2020, when Messi asked the Barcelona administration to lead Josep Maria Bartomeu made these demands for the renewal of the contract:
- Allow him to leave Barcelona whenever he wants with a penalty clause of 10,000 euros.
- Financial compensation for the deduction of his salary during the Corona period, with an interest of 3%.
- Signing bonus of 10 million euros.
- A private plane to take his whole family to Argentina at Christmas.
- A private room in the Camp Nou for his family and the Suarez family.
Bartomeu’s management agreed to the terms, except for the release clause to be 700 million euros, and for the signing bonus to be conditional on the club’s return to a better economic situation.
Messi’s representatives did not agree at the time, and negotiations to renew the contract were suspended.
On June 11, 2020, Messi’s agents returned to contact the administration to renew by signing a contract for three seasons with the possibility of an extension. At that time, Messi came out and admitted his salary was reduced by 20% in the 2020/21 season due to the Corona virus, but the following should be done:
A refund of 10% in the 2021/202 season and another 10% in the 22/23 season in addition to 3% interest on any deferred amount previously agreed with the club.
Things got complicated between the two parties, and he refused Bartomeu, the two conditions of the agents for renewal, and remained the case as it is.
Bartomeu and the entire management left after his confidence was withdrawn against the backdrop of “Barca Jet” and the huge debts incurred by the club and caused the deterioration of economic conditions.
Juan Laporta came to see the conditions that occurred between the management of Bartomeu and Leo Messi, But he found those demands difficult to achieve and rejected.
On August 9, 2020, the fateful day came and Messi left his childhood club after a 20-year relationship with Paris Saint-Germain.