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Lionel Messi can only leave Barcelona if €700m release clause is paid, says La Liga

Messi failed to report for coronavirus testing at Barcelona's training complex on Sunday; club president Josep Maria Bartomeu stated in September 2019 Messi would be able to leave for free before start of 2020/21 season



Sky Sports News reporter Gary Cotterill has the latest as Lionel Messi fails to report for Barcelona coronavirus testing

La Liga has dashed Lionel Messi's hopes of leaving Barcelona on a free transfer by stating his release clause will have to be paid if he is to leave the Nou Camp.

Messi notified Barcelona this week he intends to walk away from the club by exercising a clause in his contract that allows him to leave for free at the end of each season.


Even though the deadline to exercise the clause has passed, Messi's lawyers believe Barcelona should honour it as the season had to be extended because of the coronavirus pandemic.

However, La Liga has bolstered Barcelona's stance, with the club insisting the clause has expired and the only way Messi will be allowed to leave is if his €700m release clause is paid in full.

A La Liga statement on Sunday read: "With regard to the different interpretations (some of which are contradictory) relating to the current contractual situation of FC Barcelona footballer Lionel Andres Messi that have been published across various media outlets in recent days, having analysed the player's contract with the club, La Liga would like to clarify the following.


"The contract is currently valid and contains a release clause which is applicable should Lionel Messi decide to trigger the early unilateral termination of the contract, in accordance with article 16 of Royal Decree 1006/1985 of 26 June, which regulates the special employment status that professional sportspeople have.

"In compliance with the applicable regulations and protocol that apply in such instances, La Liga will not carry out the prior visa-release process for the player to be unregistered from the (Royal Spanish Football) Federation if the sum in the aforementioned clause has not been paid beforehand."


Messi's Barcelona's team-mates and head coach #RonaldKoeman arrive for coronavirus testing at Barcelona's training complex but Messi did not turn up

#LaLiga's intervention comes just hours after Messi failed to report for coronavirus testing at Barcelona's training complex, meaning he will be unable to participate in Ronald Koeman's first training session as the club's new head coach on Monday afternoon.

It is understood the 33-year-old warned the club in advance via Burofax - a form of recorded delivery provided by Spain's postal service - that he was not going to be present. If Messi does manage to negotiate his Barcelona exit, #ManchesterCity are currently the favourites to sign him.

Messi's representatives are expected to meet with Barcelona officials next week to discuss the current impasse, and the 33-year-old still wants to personally meet with the club hierarchy to negotiate his release. The club have so far refused and said they will only meet to talk about a new contract.

The six-time Ballon d'Or winner's push to depart the #NouCamp comes after Barcelona finished the season without a trophy for the first time in 12 years and ended the campaign with a humiliating 8-2 defeat to #BayernMunich in the #ChampionsLeague.

Image:Midfielder Arturo Vidal waves as he arrives for testing

#Bartomeu interview casts doubt on #Messicontract

A BarcaTV interview with #clubpresident Bartomeu from September 2019, in which he confirms Messi would be able to leave Barcelona for free before the 2020/21 season, has resurfaced online.

"Messi has a four-year contract that he signed two years ago, which stipulates that he can leave Barcelona before the final season, which is 2020/21," Bartomeu said in the interview.

"It's a personal decision for the player, whether he wants to retire or go to play wherever he wishes. It's a clause that other players have had as well, such as Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Carles Puyol, when we last extended their contracts.

"I don't think we need to worry about the players that I've mentioned and Leo Messi because they're so passionate about Barcelona that I doubt they'd want to move to another club, but they have to have that freedom to decide their futures and when they want to retire because they've earned it.

"I know Leo is very much a 'Cule' and I hope he stays at #Barcelona for many more years.

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