Bomb in Barcelona: Messi will not continue with the club 11:29
(CNN Spanish)
- Lionel Messi, the superstar of FC Barcelona and the Argentine national team, will not continue his career at the Spanish club, the Catalan entity announced this Thursday in a statement.
The 34-year-old footballer must now seek new horizons after developing his entire professional career in Barcelona, a team with which he debuted on October 16, 2004 and with which he won 35 titles, in addition to winning several individual awards.
Next, what is known until the moment of the departure of Lionel Messi from FC Barcelona.
The official announcement
The news surprised the whole world on Thursday afternoon, when through a statement released on social networks, EL Barcelona announced the end of the negotiations to renew Messi's contract.
"Despite having reached an agreement between FC Barcelona and Leo Messi and with the clear intention of both parties to sign a new contract today, it cannot be formalized due to economic and structural obstacles (Spanish LaLiga regulations ), "the statement said.
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Leo Messi will not follow linked to the FC Barcelona
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- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) August 5, 2021
The abrupt end of the negotiations even surprised some workers at the institution with whom CNN has been in contact.
As detailed, everything was ready to make the renewal of the Argentine crack official this Friday and, for that reason, this last-minute setback was not expected.
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The best images of Lionel Messi in Barcelona
Just minutes after making the finalization of the negotiations official, Barcelona published a farewell video in which he covers Messi's entire life at the club, from his arrival as a child until the last season.
Thanks, Leo pic.twitter.com/zQDFiDUK47
- FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) August 5, 2021
The explanation of Joan Laporta, president of Barcelona
The most anticipated voice, in addition to that of the footballer himself, was that of the president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta, who spoke this Friday at a press conference.
The leader assured that both the club and Messi wanted to sign a new contract, but ultimately, the salary conditions according to the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules of the Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) prevented a contract from being reached. agreement.
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Laporta said that current salaries represent 110% of the club's total income, which means there was no "room" for movement.
"Renewing Messi carried certain risks [...] but we cannot put the club at greater risk," Laporta said.
"Barcelona is above everything, even the best player in the world," he added.
Laporta explained that the club and Messi had initially agreed to a two-year contract that would be paid over a five-year period, and then a five-year contract.
Messi's salary would exceed Barcelona's income 0:25
Even with Messi's reduced salary, Laporta said that salaries would still represent 95% of the club's income, leaving little room for maneuver.
The Barça president revealed that he realized two days ago (around Wednesday) that re-signing Messi was no longer a possibility.
The regulation of the Spanish League that made it difficult for Messi to renew
The Spanish Professional Football League (LFP) established in 2013 a total salary cap that each club or Sports Limited Company (SAD) must meet each season.
The objective was to allow the sanitation of the institutions that had financial problems at that time.
The details of the regulations that establish the sports staff cost limit (LCPD) are explained in 6 pages published on the website of the League.
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As a general rule, clubs must present before April 30 of each year their balance sheets with the figures of income and structural expenses, and the difference that results from those two amounts is what they can spend in the transfer market for the season that it starts.
In any case, according to LaLiga, these amounts can be updated throughout the season if the club has higher income.
What concepts are part of a club's LCPD / SAD?
It encompasses both the footballers of the registrable squad (players with an employment contract attached to the first team) and non-registrable (employment contract with subsidiaries and dependents of any category).
Also the cost of coach, assistant coach and physical trainer.
Club and SAD revenues include television rights;
partners and subscribers;
sponsorship contracts;
Income from competitions (League, Cup, Europe);
operating income;
advertising and sales of players.
The complete regulations for the preparation of budgets in Spanish football
The economic difficulties of Barcelona
Barcelona's problem is the poor financial result of the last season, according to Laporta himself, who assumed the presidency of the club on March 17 of this year, succeeding Josep Maria Bartomeu, who resigned in October 2020.
This is how Argentina reacts to the goodbye of Messi and FC Barcelona 4:42
The 19/20 season, for example, ended with income of 855 million and expenses of 955 million, with a final result after taxes of 97 million euros of losses, according to the balance approved last June 20 at the club's assembly .
"First of all, I wanted to say that we have received a disastrous inheritance from the previous Board that has made the salary of the Club represent 110% of income. We have no salary margin, Laliga's rules go through a financial fair play that marks some limitations, "Laporta said at the press conference on Friday.
Messi, at the top of Barcelona's history
The end of Lionel Messi's career in Spanish football places him at the top of the history of LaLiga and FC Barcelona.
Since October 16, 2004, when he officially put on the Catalan club's shirt, he has played a total of 778 games, scored 672 goals and provided 288 assists, according to official club statistics.
He is the top scorer in the history of Barcelona and Spanish football.
With the Catalan club he got 10 Spanish leagues;
4 Champions Leagues (Champions League);
7 King's Cups;
3 Club World Cups;
3 European Super Cups and 8 Spanish Super Cups.
17 years after Messi's debut with Barcelona 1:24
In addition, Messi won the Ballon d'Or, or footballer of the year, six times (he is the most winner in history): first he set a record of four consecutive years (2009-2012), and then he won it again in 2015 and 2019 .
He also won the European Golden Boot six times: 2009-10, 2011-12, 2012-13, 2016-17, 2017-18 and 2018-19, among other achievements.
Pau Mosquera contributed to this report.
FC Barcelona Lionel Messi
