La Liga hits back at Lionel Messi, says 'release clause still exists'

La Liga on Friday issues a counter-statement after Lionel Messi’s letter, via his father and agent Jorge Messi, put out a letter. La Liga contradicting to what Messi had said in his letter, stated that the EUR 700 million release clause still exists and the Spanish governing body stands by its earlier statement where they had mentioned the same. 

Lionel Messi on Friday issued a statement, addressed to La Liga boss Javier Tebas, stating that the EUR 700 million release clause doesn’t exist in his contract while criticizing La Liga’s ‘partial’ stance after they released a statement in support of Barcelona. 

While Messi in his statement said that La Liga had misinterpreted the clause of his contract which allows him to leave for free and in that case, the EUR 700 million release clause ends after the 2019-20 season. However, La Liga said that 'they stand by their interpretation of Messi's contract'.

The statement by Lionel Messi took a jibe at La Liga as it stated that they don’t which contract did La Liga analyze before releasing the statement. It was repeatedly mentioned in the statement that as per clause 8.2.3.5, the EUR 700 release clause doesn’t apply at all at the end of 2019-20 season. 

This is the first time when an official statement has been put out by Messi’s entourage in relation to the ongoing transfer saga. Messi, earlier last week, had sent a burofax to Barcelona asking them to allow him to leave the club for free. 

In further twist in the ‘BarcaGate’ saga, on Thursday, it was revealed that Spanish police are investigating a case against Bartomeu with allegations that the Barca president hired a social media agency to post negative things about former and present club players. 
Meanwhile, a statement from Barcelona is expected on the matter after both Messi and La Liga issued respective statements.