Lionel Messi: Barcelona forward’s release clause remains valid, says La Liga

The 700m euros (£624m) release clause in Lionel Messi’s Barcelona contract continues to be legitimate, La Liga has mentioned.

The Argentina ahead plans to invoke a clause that will permit him to depart the membership free of charge however Barcelona argue the deadline for that has expired.

Spain’s top-flight competitors La Liga now says it is not going to de-register the participant until the clause is met.

“In compliance with the relevant rule, La Liga is not going to approve a request to be de-registered as a participant with the Spanish soccer federation, until the quantity within the release clause has been paid,” the physique mentioned in an announcement.

Messi was due at Barcelona’s coaching floor at 10.15am native time on Sunday however didn’t attend.

The participant’s attorneys plan to train a clause in his four-year contract, signed in 2017, which might have allowed him to depart the membership free of charge if he had requested to take action by 10 June.

They may argue that date, nominally the tip of the season, is now irrelevant after the coronavirus delays that led to the season’s extension and the crew enjoying deep into August.