Lionel Messi’s imminent transfer to PSG after his dramatic exit from Barcelona has been threatened by lawyers who plan to block his move over claims the French club cannot sign the Argentine icon due to their own FFP situation.
This comes days after Barcelona confirmed last Thursday that Messi would not sign a new contract with the Spanish club amid financial concerns “and structural obstacles” which prevented Messi from renewing.
After Messi confirmed his exit from the club, PSG offered Messi an initial two-year deal, thought to be worth £25m a year after tax, and the six-time Ballon d’Or winner and his representatives are now reviewing and considering it carefully.
Now lawyers at the Spanish club have filed a complaint to the European Court of Appeals, stating the Parisians should be stopped in their pursuit of Messi based on financial data.
Juan Branco confirmed the complaint on Twitter: ‘On behalf of FC Barcelona partners, my firm has prepared a complaint with the European Commission and demands for provisional suspension before civil and administrative courts in France to prevent Paris-Saint Germain from signing Lionel Messi. PSG’s ratios in terms of ‘Financial Fair Play’ are worse than those of FC Barcelona. In 2019-2020, PSG’s salary-to-income ratio was 99%, while Barcelona’s was 54%. Meanwhile, the difference has increased. It is inconceivable that the ‘Financial Fair Play’ serves to aggravate the drifts of football-business, the instrumentalization of football by sovereign powers, and the distortion of competitions.’
The report claims PSG will fall foul of FFP with the signing of Messi, and reveals that Barcelona couldn’t renew the star’s contract because even after a 50 per cent pay cut, the club’s wage bill would be 110 per cent of the cap, according to Marca.
It also reportedly pointed at the Ligue 1 side’s active summer this year, with Gianluigi Donnarumma, Sergio Ramos, Achraf Hakimi, and Georginio Wijnaldum all arriving at the Parc de Princes.
They already have the massive wages of Kylian Mbappe and Neymar to shoulder.
Messi confirmed in an emotional press conference that he will be leaving Barcelona this summer after a lifetime at the club, and is now finalising terms with PSG.