La Liga has sided with Barcelona in their ongoing contract dispute with Lionel Messi.
The 33-year-old recently handed in a transfer request and believes he should be allowed to leave for free due to a clause in his contract.
The clause, included in 2017 when Messi signed an extension with Barcelona, stated he would be allowed to leave for free at the end of each season.
The expiry for the clause this season was on May 31, but Messi is arguing it should have been pushed back as the season did not finish until August due to the coronavirus pandemic.
However, in a remarkable statement, La Liga says any club looking to sign Messi will have to meet the €700m release clause in his contract.
“The contract is currently valid and has a ‘release clause’ which would apply in the event of Lionel Andrés Messi deciding to unilaterally rescind that contract early,” the statement said.
“In compliance with the applicable rule … La Liga will not process the approval needed prior to a request to be deregistered as a player with the Spanish football federation, unless the amount in the release clause has been paid.”
Messi failed to show up at the club’s training ground on Sunday for his pre-season medical, further indicating that he intends to leave Barca this summer no matter what happens with his release clause.
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