Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona is likely to have a financial tail. The Argentine world star, who made the transfer to Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday, transfer-free, still has a considerable amount of loyalty bonuses from the Spanish club. According to El Espanol it concerns an amount of 39 million euros. In 2019, Barcelona went to court in a similar case with Neymar.
During Messi’s last contract extension in 2017, the attacker secured an amount of 555 million euros, which would be spread over the four contract years. That contract also included a loyalty bonus, spread over two terms. He received the first €66 million bonus because of “the loyalty he has shown throughout his career.” The second bonus was worth twelve million euros, leaving Barcelona owed a total of 78 million euros. Of that amount, 39 million euros has not yet been paid.
The Spanish superpower has postponed the payment twice. The first payment was made in June 2020, while the second was processed in June this year. However, the club’s financial situation made it impossible to meet that obligation. Barcelona has reached an agreement with a large proportion of the players during the corona pandemic to postpone payments and spread them out over several years. Messi was not part of that group.
Neymar, who exchanged Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain for a record €222 million in 2017, lost a lawsuit from Barcelona for the same reason in the past. The Brazilian star demanded an amount of 43.6 million euros in unpaid bonuses. However, a Catalan judge rejected that claim and ruled that Neymar owed an amount to Barcelona instead. The club filed a claim against Neymar and could therefore expect compensation of 8.5 million euros.
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