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Barcelona’s financial situation is due to the coronavirus pandemic and not Lionel Messi, insisted LaLiga president Javier Tebas.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported on Sunday that the deal superstar captain Messi signed in 2017 – due to expire at season’s end – is worth more than €555million over four years.
It comes after Messi attempted to leave Camp Nou prior to the 2020-21 campaign and amid Barca’s financial woes caused by the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis.
But Tebas wrote via Twitter: “Barcelona’s delicate financial situation [like other big clubs] is not Messi’s fault but the devastating effect of COVID.
“Without the pandemic, the income generated by the best player in history would prop up that expenditure.
“The sensationalism that surrounds the matter is unfair.”
The delicate financial situation of @FCBarcelona (similar in other big clubs) is not Messi’s fault but rather the devastating effects of COVID. Without a pandemic, the revenue generated by the best player in history offset that cost. Some media are not treating this issue fairly. pic.twitter.com/3qVgPcnyFL
— Javier Tebas Medrano (@Tebasjavier) January 31, 2021
Messi, who has been heavily linked with Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain and Premier League giants Manchester City as his contract expires, scored his 650th Barca goal in Sunday’s 2-1 LaLiga victory against Athletic Bilbao.
The six-time Ballon d’Or opened the scoring with a 20th-minute free-kick before Jordi Alba’s own goal restored parity, though Griezmann secured maximum points 16 minutes from the end.
650 goals. And counting. pic.twitter.com/VVQ52VB5Gf
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) January 31, 2021
Messi has scored two direct free-kick goals from his last four attempts for Barcelona in all competitions, after scoring just one from his previous 62 attempts.
Of Messi’s 650 goals for Barcelona, 49 of them have been direct free-kicks – 38 in LaLiga.
Messi has 12 goals and two assists in the league for Barca, who are second and 10 points adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid.
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