Lionel Messi Generates One-Third of Barcelona’s Income: Joan Laporta on the Argentine’s Contract Leak

Laporta, who is amongst the front-runners to win the Barcelona presidential elections, said that he had a chat with Messi after the news of his contract leak broke out.

Barcelona presidential candidate Joan Laporta has claimed his candidacy study revealed that Lionel Messi generates one-third of the club’s income. Messi has been in headlines after a Spanish newspaper leaked his contract information and claimed that it’s the biggest ever in sports history.

On Sunday, El Mundo reported that Messi’s contract of €555,237,619 (US$673,919,105) over the past four seasons in Barcelona.

Laporta, who is amongst the front-runners to win the Barcelona presidential elections, said that he had a chat with Messi after the news of his contract leak broke out.

“Yesterday I sent him a message and encouraged him, I told him that he does not have to pay attention to this news,” Laporta told RAC1.

“We all want him to stay here and I will do my best to keep it going. I have indications that he is fine in Barcelona, that he wants to stay here, but what he needs is a project from a team that continues to be competitive and wins the Champions League.”

He further claimed that it’s the board of directors that ruined the club’s financial situation not Messi.

“Messi generates more income than the money he costs,” he added.

“In our candidacy there is a study that shows that Messi generates a third of Barça’s income. Messi has not ruined the club, but a board of directors that has lost financial discipline since 2015 and lost its sense since it sold Neymar in 2017,” he added.

Laporta was Barcelona’s president from 15 June 2003 to 30 June 2010.

FC Barcelona on Sunday released a statement on the incident and said that the club regrets the publication of Messi’s contract as it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties.

“In view of the information published today El Mundo, in relation to the professional contract signed between FC Barcelona and the player Lionel Messi, the club regrets its publication given that it is a private document governed by the principle of confidentiality between the parties,” the Catalan club said in a statement.

The club further stated that they support Messi in the incident and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo.

“FC Barcelona categorically denies any responsibility for the publication of this document, and will take appropriate legal action against the newspaper El Mundo, for any damage that may be caused as a result of this publication,” Barcelona said.