The future of Argentine striker Lionel Messi is the most important record held by the Barcelona administration during the current period.
Messi became a free player on July 1, but current indications confirm his desire to stay in Barcelona.
The Catalan club’s proposal to renew with the 34-year-old could lead to his imprisonment for some legal issues.
What is the reason for postponing Messi’s renewal until now?
Several seasons ago, to ensure the sustainability of the clubs, the League established a rule that the expenses of all the clubs must be proportional to the income using a simple equation: Income – non-sports expenses = sports expenses (maximum salary).
The Corona virus crisis affected Barcelona a lot, as Laporta realized during his presidency of the Catalan club that revenues had fallen by 300 million euros and that the salaries of the players were very high.
And it is that from time to time Barcelona is forced to significantly reduce the expenses of the salaries of the players, so it must be reduced again this season.
What is the proposed solution?
Messi’s contract renewal will be the highest in its history, but it collides with the current crisis the club is going through, and Barcelona offers Messi a long-term contract that includes playing in their ranks for two years as a player, and then later served as club ambassador.
Although the club is trying to split the payments over two years, La Liga does not accept this clause in principle.
And the Spanish newspaper, “Sport”, revealed the serious legal aspects of this proposal, because if Messi were treated as an ambassador, taxes would be imposed in the period in which he plays.
Therefore, Messi will no longer pay taxes in Spain, or he will do so at a lower rate than the normal population tax, which could cause him to fall into a state of fraud.
What is the legal point of view like?
Tax advisor Álvarez de Mon has confirmed to Sport that Messi could be threatened with jail if he renews in this way.
He said in his remarks: “There is a criminal record for both Messi and Barcelona, and in case of any other possible conviction, both will be in trouble.”
And he added: “The matter could end with the imprisonment of Messi and perhaps the dissolution of the club, which is the punishment that associations receive in any similar case.”
The source is Goal