Barcelona Lawyers File Lawsuit To Block Lionel Messi’s Move To PSG

Forum 2 years ago

Barcelona Lawyers File Lawsuit To Block Lionel Messi’s Move To PSG

A law firm representing Barcelona partners has filed an official lawsuit with the European Commission, to block Lionel Messi’s imminent move to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

The lawyers believes they has enough legal grounds to pursue the matter as the Financial Fair Play situation surrounding PSG is worse than that of FC Barcelona.

On Sunday as we reported, Lionel Messi gave an emotional farewell inside the Camp Nou stadium to officially confirm his departure from Barcelona after being at the club for 21 years and 17 top-flight seasons.

There, the 6-time Ballon d’Or winner revealed he wasn’t looking forward to leaving the club and was even ready to give up 50 per cent of his wages to stay — but he was told an agreement to extend his contract was not possible — as a result of La Liga’s Financial Fair Play rules.

However, hours after his live farewell speech, PSG came knocking with a new mega contract and reports emerged that Leo Messi and his father Jorge, had received the Ligue 1 club’s official offer and were considering it.

Although both parties were confident that a deal can be concluded shortly, there has been a new twist to the story.

The lawsuit, which Spanish publication MARCA gained exclusive access to, claims that Financial Fair Play regulations should actually stop PSG from signing Lionel Messi.

Excerpts from the letter filed as part of the complaint by the Law firm reads in part;

“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.”