BARCELONA, Spain (AP) – Devastated by crises in the countryside and among the tired members of the club, Barcelona has never renounced its commitment to Lionel Messi despite the monetary difficulties that are unfolding due to the pandemic-induced global economic recession.
A drop in revenue forced Barcelona to leave players for very little in exchange for alleviating a wage burden that had become unsustainable in a recession and in a context of growing uncertainty.
But Barcelona’s vice president of economic affairs said the club had never promoted Messi when he asked to leave, no matter how complicated the Spanish club faces.
Messi meant too much for enthusiasts and for the long term of the club by promoting it for cash and quick savings, said Jordi Moix, a member of the Barcelona board guilty of managing his finances.
“We never thought about the effect it would have on the club’s economy if it left,” Moix told The Associated Press in a recent interview. “(Messi) is a player who has been at the club for 20 years and is a central driving force for the club, and that must be taken into account with our sponsors.
Barcelona suffered a loss of 97 million euros ($115 million) last season, adding an economic crisis to the sporting calamity suffered by the club when the season ended with a name and a historic 8-2 defeat to Bayern Munich in the Champions League. quarter-finals.
Messi, now 33, costs Barcelona one hundred million euros ($118 million) in wages and wage taxes, according to media reports, that the club will not verify or deny for confidentiality agreements. Its termination clause amounts to an untouchable amount of 700 million euros ($828 million), but it could have reached a maximum value if Barcelona had been willing to pay attention to the offers.
In August, Messi tried to leave the club, demoralized by the defeat to Bayern and convinced that his chances of winning were higher elsewhere. Barcelona refused to let it go and Messi relented after ruling out taking Barcelona to court. completing his contract, which expires next summer, and he himself has been competitive in the first three games of the season, earning praise from new coach Ronald Koeman.
The club also expects Messi to stay.
“It would be great for him to finish his club career,” Moix said.
Barcelona had projected record revenues of more than one billion euros ($1. 18 billion) for last season, falling to 203 million euros ($240 million), according to the club’s annual monetary report presented through Moix last week, due to the coronavirus. Sales with its Camp Nou stadium closed since March, falling TV and vending revenues and the closure of its popular museum have forced the club to take drastic action.
Luis Suarez, Arturo Vidal, Ivan Rakitic and Rafinha, 4 veterans still valuable, were traded with almost no guaranteed money in return. The club won 1. 5 million euros ($1. 7 million) to Sevilla for Rakitic; 1 million euros ($1. 2 million) from Inter Milan for Vidal; Suarez went to Atletico Madrid without advance prices and 6 million euros ($7. 1 million) in variables; and Rafinha in Paris Saint-Germain without prepayment and 3 million euros ($3. 3 million) in variables. Young defender Jean-Claire Todibo has been loaned to Benfica for 2 million euros ($2. 3 million).
Barcelona has been criticized in some areas of their association for having no more for their players, especially Suarez, who, 33, scored 21 goals last season.
The clean-up, however, had monetary merit in addition to forming a re-establishment led through Koeman, who according to Moix also stored 30 million euros (35 million euros) in salaries that Barcelona would not have to pay this campaign.
Moix has defended the club for accumulating the wage burden in world football with 529 million euros ($625 million) spent on the salaries of its first-team players last season.
“It’s the hard component of managing a winning team,” he said. “You have those players who have been competitive over the years (. . . ) You have to compare if you let them go, so you have to rent to the most productive ability to update them, and there are emotional connections with your city, so I made extensions to keep them ».
Moix predicts that this season will be even more complicated for Barcelona. The club needs extra relief on players’ salaries in addition to the relay the team received last season.
The ultimate urgent challenge for Moix and the rest of the directive he chairs through Josep Bartomeu is a vote of distrust pending the members of the club who, if lost, those in office. , however, he discovered it unnecessary because Bartomeu had already called elections for March with the term of the council ending this season.
“With COVID and the elections already called, it’s a bit embarrassing and unusual,” Moix said. “We perceive them, but we control the club well. I rebel against the claim that we have managed it badly. “
He added that they had accumulated two hundred million net worth in 10 years before the pandemic wiped out some of it. Moix has led the board’s ambitious plan to reshape the Camp Nou, which hopes the next board of directors, which will come to power, will do so. Pursue.
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