Argentine star Lionel Messi moved his conflict with Barcelona to a new stage by his absence today, Sunday, from the tests to detect the Corona virus, which precedes the start of the preparations for the new season, and new data have emerged confirming that the solution to the crisis between the two parties will not be soon.
Messi did not register his presence today at the Catalan club's training center in order to undergo the detection of the Corona virus, which is a step that precedes the players' return to training tomorrow, Monday, in preparation for the launch of the new season in the second half of next September.
Messi moved in his absence today to the stage of pressure on Barcelona in order to implement his desire to leave the team based on the contract that binds him to the team, which allows him to leave for free at the end of the 2019-2020 season, according to the request he sent a few days ago to the club's management.
However, the team management insists that the clause on which Messi relies has not been in effect since June 10, and demands that the player abide by his contract, which expires in June 2021, or pay 700 million euros in the value of the penalty clause.
Radio Cadena Ser published a report in which it confirmed that it had seen the contract linking Messi with Barcelona, and confirmed that the penalty clause is no longer in effect in accordance with the terms agreed between the two parties.
The radio stated that the contract signed in 2017 stipulates that its duration is 3 seasons, with an option to extend for an additional season, and indicated that the extension is subject to the agreement of the two parties. Therefore, Messi's request to leave automatically drops the talk about the penalty clause, and this is consistent with the leaks confirming that Messi is seeking to leave for free during this summer.
But if the agreement includes this clause, then why did not Messi leave directly without entering into a conflict with the administration? Here comes the interpretation of the Catalan club's management of the contract, which denies according to what was reported by the newspaper "Sport" (SPORT) that there is something that allows Messi to leave for free, and confirms That the player is obligated to stay with the club until 2021, with the same penalty clause.
According to beIN Sports correspondent Ashraf Bin Ayyad, the Spanish League (Liga) saw Messi's contract and supported Barcelona's position.
As I mentioned in the La Liga newsletter, she has a copy of Messi's contract, and after the review she clearly supported Barcelona's position in an official statement.
- Achraf Ben Ayad (@Benayadachraf) August 30, 2020
Faced with these data, the conflict appears at its beginning, and it may witness new episodes in the coming days, and one of its episodes was the abandonment of Barcelona's law firm, which he deals with because it deals today with Messi.
The two parties will have an opportunity to end the dispute amicably, or raise the case to the International Football Association (FIFA) and the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which can rule in favor of Messi and allow him to leave, provided that a Spanish court determines the amount of compensation that the club will receive, according to the report. Another newspaper Sport.