Former Barcelona president Joan Gaspart would prefer Lionel Messi to leave for nothing next year than for anything less than €700m this summer.
Messi left Barcelona gobsmacked on Tuesday night by handing in a request to activate a clause in his contract that will allow him to leave this summer as a free agent.
It’s widely known the Argentine had a clause in place that would allow him to leave for free at end of this season, as long as he activated before the end of June.
But while we’re now in August, it appears Messi’s lawyers have discovered a loophole to exploit it by using the 2019/20 season being stalled until this very month because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Gaspart, however, is having none of it and insists there is ‘no going back’ for the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The Catalan, who was Barca president between 2000 and 2003, told Marca: “[Messi] cannot leave. He will have to leave in 2021.
“I have seen the contract and it is very clear. The clause ended in June and there is no going back.
“I prefer him to leave next year for zero than to go now for less than €700 million.
“The club is in charge here, not the player. The club paid the players. And this is not a matter of money, there is a signed contract and that’s it.”
Of course, Gaspart is no stranger to controversial transfer sagas at Barcelona after losing stars like Luis Figo to rivals Real Madrid in 2000.
“I love Messi very much, but I love Barcelona more,” continued Gaspart.
“Let the clause be paid. They did it to me one night treacherously with Figo and I did the same with Rivaldo, because I loved Barcelona.
“And here it’s the same. There is a clause of €700m and the contracts are signed to fulfill them. I understand there is pressure from others for him to leave, but if I were the president of Barcelona, then I wouldn’t negotiate a euro.”
The 8-2 Champions League quarter-final defeat to Bayern Munich was one of the darkest moments in Barcelona’s entire history.
“If Messi leaves for less than what his clause is worth, it will be more humiliating than the 8-2 [defeat],” Gaspart insisted.
“And Messi should not forget that the fans love Barcelona more than the player. And if Messi leaves next year, well, bad luck, he goes aged 34.”
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