Messi, who has a EUR700 million release clause in his Barca contract, officially announced his decision to continue with the Catalan club for one more season.
Lionel Messi, in a major turn of events, announced that he will be staying at Barcelona till 2021 on Friday (September 4). Messi, who has a EUR700 million release clause in his contract, released an official statement confirming his decision to continue with the Catalan club.
"I wasn’t happy and I wanted to leave. I have not been allowed this in any way and I will STAY at the club so as not to get into a legal dispute. The management of the club led by Bartomeu is a disaster," Messi said in a statement.
As per previous reports, Messi was in a dispute with the Spanish club over whether he has permission to leave the side on a free transfer following the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
Messi's father, Jorge Messi, on Friday also wrote a letter to LaLiga President Javier Tebas saying that the EUR700 million release clause "does not apply at all".
The organisers had added that if other clubs are interested in availing the footballer's services, then they must pay €700 million as the release clause amount in full.
Hitting back at LaLiga, Jorge said LaLiga have made an 'error' while analyzing the contract.
"In relation to the player's contractual situation, and regardless of its obvious bias for the role that such an institution represents in defence of the interests of its football clubs, I must state the following."
"We do not know what contract LaLiga has analysed, and what are the bases on which they conclude that the 'termination clause' is not applicable if the player urges the unilateral termination of it with effect from the completion of the 2019-20 sports season," Goal.com quoted Jorge as saying in a letter to Tebas.
"This is due to an obvious error on LaLiga's part. As stated in a clause of the contract signed between the club and the player: 'This compensation will not apply when the termination of the contract by unilateral decision of the player takes effect from the conclusion of the 2019-20 sports season.' Without prejudice to other rights that are included in the contract and that LaLiga omits, it is obvious that the compensation of EUR700m... does not apply at all," he added.
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 "Messi, Barcelona, Lionel Messi, Barca, FC Barcelona, football, soccer")
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