The tug of war involving Lionel Messi’s intentions to exit Barcelona and the club holding out for the activation of his €700m release clause has taken several turns.
Messi refused to appear for the medical tests ahead of the start of the club’s pre-season.
The mainly PCR test is for the coronavirus after the players went on holiday following their 8-2 champions league elimination at the hands of Bayern Munich.
Messi, through his legal team, has informed Barcelona that he will not show up for the pre-season medical tests to validate his intentions of an exit from the club, Daily Times understands.
He made good on his words as reported by sources. He was not available for the tests among the 31 players invited by new coach Ronald Koeman.
There is a clause in the six-time world player of the year’s contract that allows him to unilaterally terminate his contract and leave the club at the end of every season but the notice to leave must be sent before the 10th of June, 20 days before the end of the regular season.
Barcelona said the clause expired on June 10 but his legal team have argued that the clause’s validity was till the end of the 2019/20 season which was stretched by the coronavirus pandemic break.
A FIFA provision says that every transfer transaction that could not be completed before the regular season can now be done before the end of August owing to the coronavirus-enforced break.
La Liga has joined forces and voices in the saga, supporting Barcelona by saying the release clause must be paid before his exit.
“In relation to the different interpretations (some of them contradictory to each other) published in recent days in different media, related to the contractual situation of the player Lionel Andrés Messi with FC Barcelona, LaLiga wishes to clarify that with regards to the player’s contract with his club: “The contract is currently in force and has a “termination clause” applicable to the event that Lionel Andrés Messi decides to activate the early unilateral termination of the contract, carried out in accordance with article 16 of Royal Decree 1006/1985, of June 26, which regulates the special employment relationship of professional athletes.
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“In compliance with the applicable regulations, and following the corresponding procedure in these cases, LaLiga will not carry out the prior visa process for the player to be removed from the federation if they have not previously paid the amount of said clause.”
La Liga said in an official statement. Various sources have linked the Barca captain to Manchester City since he announced his intentions to leave the Catalan giants.
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