By David Hytner via The Guardian
Barcelona have announced that Lionel Messi is leaving the club after “financial and structural obstacles” made it impossible to renew his contract. The forward, who has spent his whole career there, had been expected to re-sign after his deal expired in June.
“Despite FC Barcelona and Lionel Messi having reached an agreement and the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, this cannot happen because of financial and structural obstacles (Spanish Liga regulations),” the club said.
“As a result of this situation, Messi shall not be staying on at FC Barcelona. Both parties deeply regret that the wishes of the player and the club will ultimately not be fulfilled.
“FC Barcelona wholeheartedly expresses its gratitude to the player for his contribution to the aggrandisement of the club and wishes him all the very best for the future in his personal and professional life.”
Last month Messi agreed in principle to a five-year deal on reduced wages rather than a two-year extension initially discussed. It had been hoped the agreement would keep Barcelona within the boundaries of La Liga’s financial fair play regulations but that has proved impossible.
Barcelona needed to move players out to renew Messi’s deal and they have not been able to find the solution. The club, whose total debt is about €1,173m, are constrained by the league’s salary cap. Messi has agreed to a 50% pay cut, dropping from about €45m basic, after tax, to closer to €20m.
The question is where Messi, who was 34 in June, will play this season. He tried to leave Barcelona in August 2020 after a breakdown in his relationship with then president Josep Maria Bartomeu but was forced to stay. Now, when he was keen to continue for longer, it appears he is being made to go.
Barcelona’s salaries currently account for about 110% of their income and their president, Joan Laporta, has admitted: “We do not comply with financial fair play regulations.”
In 2019-20 Barcelona’s salary limit was €671m, last season it was €347m, and this season’s figure is substantially smaller again. Salary caps in Spain, shorthand for limits applied to all pre-tax spending on the squad, are not subject to punishments handed out retrospectively but are applied in advance.
Messi has made 778 appearances for Barcelona, scoring a remarkable 672 goals which have helped to claim 10 league titles, four Champions Leagues and three Club World Cups among his haul of 35 trophies.
