FC Barcelona defines when it will settle its debt with Leo Messi

The FC Barcelona board still has accounts to settle in 2025 with Leo Messi. 'La Pulga', like other members of the squad (Sergio Busquets, Gerard Piqué, Jordi Alba...) agreed to defer part of his salary in 2020 as a result of the covid-19 pandemic. In the case of the player from Rosario, having ended his contract in 2022 did not mean the end of the debt, since at that time the club was very complicated with its salary margin.

Although Joan Laporta's management managed to reduce the culé salary bill from 676 million euros (2022/23) to €510M this season, Barça still has not returned to the 1/1 rule to be able to sign and, therefore, still has various commitments with players and former players. In the case of Leo, the debt is around 52 million euros and the club hopes to be able to get out of this 'backpack' before the end of 2024/25, that is, before next May.

Barça does not want to further postpone the pending payments with Leo Messi

Joan Laporta himself admitted in a talk with 'El Larguero' at the beginning of this year Barça's plan regarding the '10'. "With Messi we have pending payments until 2025... He is owed the deferral of the salary bill that he agreed with the previous board," commented the Barça president last February. Well, the club understands the need to comply with this and other obligations as soon as possible, especially given the urgency of cleaning up its finances before the opening of the next summer market. Key to this will be the money received from the new contract with Nike, in addition to what is owed by Barça Studios.

The board will soon have an approach with Leo regarding the club's 125th anniversary celebrations. In principle, the ideal would be to have the Rosario's presence at the special gala that Barça will organize. If 'La Pulga''s busy schedule does not allow for his trip to Catalonia, it is likely that the current Inter Miami player will record a video greeting the club and the fans. Afterwards, the next contact between the parties will most likely have to do with the payment of their emoluments.

Messi could also organize a brief visit to the club in 2025, after the reopening of the Spotify Camp Nou. In addition to affecting the salary issue, the pandemic also prevented the culé fans from enjoying their greatest idol during the last year and a half that he wore the Barça shirt. The last time the Camp Nou stands saw Lionel was in February 2020, a couple of weeks before the confinement due to Covid-19. In any case, the '10' and FC Barcelona still have room to iron out the rough edges derived from his departure to Paris Saint-Germain in 2022.