Barcelona’s turmoil deepens after Lionel Messi contract leak

Barcelona has lastly put collectively a very good run of matches to provide followers hope of some success this season.
Its issues off the sector are removed from over, although, with the membership now making an attempt to point out it’s totally behind Lionel Messi after the embarrassing leaking of his contract.
The workforce defeated Athletic Bilbao 2-1 for its fifth straight Spanish league win on Sunday, shifting as much as second place within the standings for the primary time this season. But the membership’s focus was on looking for out how — and why — Messi’s 555-million-euro ($673 million) contract ended up being disclosed.
It is simply the newest mess afflicting Barcelona, which has been mired in debt and political turmoil since final season, its first and not using a title in additional than a decade.
“We have to try to find out how this got to the press,” Barcelona coach Ronald Koeman stated. “If someone from the club leaked this, that person can’t have a future in this club.”
The El Mundo newspaper gained entry to the contract that Messi signed with the Catalan membership in 2017. It included particulars of his mounted earnings and variables funds that would attain almost 138 million euros ($167 million) for every of the 4 seasons it coated.

Some noticed its disclosure as an try to show Barcelona’s followers towards Messi, who final 12 months had his request to go away the membership denied however will likely be free to go on the finish of this season.
“Messi has done a lot for this club,” Koeman stated. “We have to respect him. It seems there is bad intention and a desire to hurt him. Without Leo you can’t aspire to win many things.”
Barcelona categorically denied any involvement within the leak and stated it could take authorized motion towards the newspaper “for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication.”
The membership was fast to precise its “absolute support” for Messi after the “attempt to discredit his image” and “damage his relationship with the entity where he has worked to become the best player in the world and in football history.”
Former president Josep Bartomeu, who resigned in October after being criticized by Messi, additionally denied he was behind the leak.
“Messi deserves what he earns, for sports and commercial reasons,” Bartomeu instructed Catalan channel TV3.
Joan Laporta, one of many presidential candidates within the membership elections scheduled for March 7, stated Monday he’ll examine who leaked the doc if he’s elected. “The club must know what happened.”
He famous that Messi generates a 3rd of Barcelona’s revenues and he’ll work arduous to persuade the Argentina nice to remain on the membership. Laporta stated he messaged Messi to encourage him and inform him to not fear concerning the leaking of his contract.