Lionel Messi is facing the prospect of a £1.1m fine and a suspension after missing the start of Barcelona’s pre-season preparations.
Messi, who is eager to secure a move away, didn’t report for coronavirus testing on Sunday and wasn’t present as training started on Monday.
According to Marca, Barcelona are set to punish Messi, with the 33-year-old poised to incur ‘serious penalties’ as a result of his actions.
Messi, who earns £95m a year, believes that he is no longer an employee of Barcelona but if he is absent for a third day he could have his salary withdrawn for 11 days or receive a fine of 25 per cent of his monthly salary. He earns £1.1m per month.
Messi’s fixed yearly salary totals £64m (€71m) but bonuses for signing, for staying, and for winning trophies takes the figure well above that.
Just by playing 60 per cent of games until the 2021 date when his contract ends sees Messi earn on average £95m (€106m) a season. But the potential – if he were to win the treble and win FIFA’s player of the year award – exists to push the final figure over the £110m (€122m) mark.
Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu is reluctant to punish Messi given his status at the club.
The Argentina star believed that he was free to leave Barcelona due to a clause in his contract which gave him the option to depart at the end of the season.
However, LaLiga ruled that as Messi did not state his desire to leave before June 10, his release clause of £630m (£700m) would still have to paid in order for him to leave. Messi’s contract is set to expire at the end of June next year.
Messi has been heavily linked with a move to Manchester City, which would see him reunite with former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola.
After Barcelona ended the season without a trophy, Messi informed Barcelona new manager Ronald Koeman of his desire to leave the club.
