The Barcelona player who told Joan Laporta not to renew Lionel Messi’s contract last year.
Journalist Toni Juanmarti claims that Lionel Messi’s departure from Barcelona last year was influenced by Barcelona defender Gerard Pique.
When the Argentine superstar’s contract was up, the seasoned center-back reportedly advised club president Joan Laporta not to extend it, which resulted in his departure.
The footballing world was in complete disbelief when Messi left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain. He had spent his whole career with the Catalan club and appeared destined to retire as a one-club player.
However, the Blaugrana were unable to extend Messi’s contract last summer due to an unfortunate financial situation. They would have been in violation of La Liga’s Financial Fair Play regulations and unable to sign any new players if they had done so.
President Laporta eventually had to say farewell to the club’s all-time leading scorer. Now, it’s being asserted that Pique had a hand in the decision since he advised the club president not to renew Messi due to the team’s precarious financial circumstances.
The two players, who were once essential members of the all-conquering Barcelona club under Pep Guardiola and Luis Enrique, are said to have a significant rift as a result of it.
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Messi’s PSG contract expires in 2023, and the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner is expected to sign a free agency deal with Camp Nou. According to certain rumors, the 35-year-old might not come back as long as Pique is still employed by the team.
The experienced defender is facing an uncertain future after the current campaign. Pique is now Barça’s fifth-choice center-back after sliding down the lineup this season. His latest injury troubles have, however, thrust him back into the public eye.
Despite this, there are still uncertainties over his future with the team after the current season. According to the article, Barcelona has the right to unilaterally void Pique’s contract if he doesn’t participate in at least 35% of the team’s games this season.
The likelihood of the former Spain star fulfilling those standards currently appears slim. So there’s a chance he decides to leave next year, which may open the door for Messi to come back.
Pique is now Barcelona’s highest-paid player, and his departure would allow the team to save a sizable portion of its wage budget. But there will be the issue of his unpaid salaries from previous seasons to deal with.
According to journalist Toni Juanmarti, Gerard Pique had a hand in Lionel Messi’s decision to leave Barcelona last year.
The seasoned center-back reportedly persuaded club president Joan Laporta not to extend the Argentine superstar’s contract when it was up, which led to his departure.
When Messi switched from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain, the entire football community was in utter shock. He had played for the Catalan club his whole career and seemed destined to retire as a one-club player.
