Lionel Messi issues scathing statement to La Liga, says 'there's no release clause in his contract'

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

The statement issued by Jorge on behalf of his son Lionel, said La Liga has been partial in analyzing Messi’s contract and added they are baffled that the league said there will be legal ramification if the ‘termination clause’ is triggered at the end of 2019-20 season. The statement added that there is no release clause in Messi’s contract if the player wants to terminate the contract and walk out free at the end of 2019-20 season.

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The statement by Lionel Messi took a jibe at La Liga as it stated that they don’t which contract did La Liga analyse before putting out 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. 

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Since then, there has been a couple of meetings between Jorge Messi and Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu. However, Barcelona have maintained that any club wanting to acquire Messi’s services will have to pay the EUR 700 million release clause. 

Moreover, 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.