Messi's father claims EUR700m release clause "does not apply at all", LaLiga responds
Sep 04, 2020
Barcelona [Spain], September 4 : Barcelona player Lionel Messi's father, Jorge Messi, on Friday wrote a letter to LaLiga President Javier Tebas saying that the EUR700 million release clause "does not apply at all".
According to Goal.com, Messi has been in a dispute with the Spanish club over whether he has permission to leave the side on a free transfer following the conclusion of the 2019-20 season.
Earlier on Sunday, the organisers of LaLiga had sided with Barcelona and said that the Argentine striker's contract with the club is still valid. The organisers had added that if other clubs are interested in availing the footballer's services, then they must pay EUR700 million as the release clause amount in full.
Hitting back at LaLiga, Jorge said LaLiga have made an 'error' while analyzing the contract.
"In relation to the player's contractual situation, and regardless of its obvious bias for the role that such an institution represents in defence of the interests of its football clubs, I must state the following. We do not know what contract LaLiga has analysed, and what are the bases on which they conclude that the 'termination clause' is not applicable if the player urges the unilateral termination of it with effect from the completion of the 2019-20 sports season," Goal.com quoted Jorge as saying in a letter to Tebas.
"This is due to an obvious error on LaLiga's part. As stated in a clause of the contract signed between the club and the player: 'This compensation will not apply when the termination of the contract by unilateral decision of the player takes effect from the conclusion of the 2019-20 sports season.' Without prejudice to other rights that are included in the contract and that LaLiga omits, it is obvious that the compensation of EUR700m... does not apply at all," he added.
However, LaLiga took no time to issue a statement on the recent development, reiterating their previous statement, released on Sunday.