Lionel Messi: Blow for Manchester City as La Liga slam brakes on Barcelona star's exit

Updated 30/08/2020 at 12:43 GMT

La Liga have sided with Barcelona in the row surrounding Lionel Messi’s future

Lionel Messi of FC Barcelona looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final match between Barcelona and Bayern Munich at Estadio do Sport Lisboa e Benfica on August 14, 2020 in Lisbon, Portugal.

Image credit: Getty Images

Lionel Messi will not leave Barcelona this summer unless his €700 million release clause is met, La Liga have said in a statement.

Messi failed to report for mandatory coronavirus testing at Barca on Sunday morning, further fuelling speculation that he was set for a sensational exit.

Transfers

Messi could become co-owner of Inter Miami with Beckham – Paper Round

06/04/2024 at 07:10

But La Liga, clearly concerned about losing their biggest star, have waded into the row and said his release clause remains active.

Messi, who believes he is entitled to leave Barca for free, has been heavily linked with a reunion with Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

"The contract is currently in force and has a 'termination clause' applicable to the event that Lionel Andres Messi decides to terminate his contract early," read the statement.

La Liga will not carry out the process for the player to be removed from the federation if they have not previously paid the amount of said clause.

Messi's lawyers plan to invoke a clause in his four-year contract, signed in 2017, which would have allowed the forward to leave the club for free if he had requested it by June 10.

They will argue that the June date - nominally the end of the season - is now irrelevant after the coronavirus delays that led to the season’s extension and the team playing deep into August.

La Liga's announcement contradicts reports in the Spanish press, reported below in Eurosport's Euro Papers, that claimed Messi's release clause is no longer valid.

AWOL Lionel Messi's delight at Barcelona release-clause bombshell - Euro Papers

Football

'The moment I feel I am no longer able to perform' - Messi hints at retirement plans

27/03/2024 at 13:24

Olympic Games Paris 2024

France boss Henry warns of 'long journey' as groups drawn for Olympic football

20/03/2024 at 23:16

Football

'I wanted to participate' - Messi defends controversial Hong Kong friendly absence

06/02/2024 at 14:05

Join 3M+ users on app

Stay up to date with the latest news, results and live sports

Download

Scan me