La Liga have confirmed that Lionel Messi’s Barcelona contract is still valid after hours of failing to attend pre-season medical at the club.
After informing Bar બa of his intention to leave on Tuesday, Messi is trying to use a clause in his contract that would allow him to leave the club for free at the end of each season, although the club argues the clause has expired. Reports on Saturday night claimed that the 33-year-old’s € 700m release clause no longer applies in the final year of his contract but denied the Spanish league’s governing body’s statement on Sunday that this was the case.
La Liga said in a statement that “in compliance with applicable rules, La Liga will not approve a request to de-register as a player with the Spanish Football Federation, unless the amount is paid in the publication clause.”
Earlier, Messi failed to show up for a coronavirus test at a training complex in Barcelona, which was reported to the club in advance by Borofax – a form of delivery recorded by Spain’s postal service. In the video footage the players arrived for coronavirus tests on Sunday morning and Messi did not appear. He went to the training ground in Barcelona at 10.15am local time. The players made surprise visits during the morning until the afternoon.
Messi’s decision not to attend means he will be unable to attend Ronald Kouman’s first training session as the new head coach of Barcelona on Monday afternoon. It is understood that Messi decided to adopt his own stance as he could legitimize the legal claim to be free. Manchester City will be the favorite to sign the World Player of the Year six times a year.
Barcelona’s sports director Ramon Plane said earlier in the week that despite the player’s clear desire to leave the club, he has been linked since the age of 13, although the La Liga giants will “trust Messi for the future”.
.
