In an official statement released by La Liga, the Spanish league has decided to side with FC Barcelona’s with regards to the prerequisite for Leo Messi’s potential, premature exit.
There have been lots of rumors going around regarding the situation of Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona, whether the player can leave for free this season since the release clause, in his contract, expired on June 26, or whether a club still has to pay his release clause in order to sign him.
In the statement, La Liga states that “In relation to the different interpretations (some of them contradictory to each other) published in recent days in different media outlets, related to the contractual situation of the player Lionel Andrés Messi of FC Barcelona, LaLiga considers that it is convenient to clarify that:
- The release clause in Lionel Messi’s contract is still valid and if the player wishes to leave his current club, the only way to do that is by paying the release clause (which is 700 million euros).
- La Liga will not aid Lionel Messi to join another club without the release clause being paid.”
Messi’s current contract with FC Barcelona expires in 2021.
