- Messi's €48m debt paid in full
- Barca deferred wage payments across the club
- Catalan giants were in financial turmoil in 2020
GettyPay day for Lionel Messi! Barcelona settle €48m debt with Inter Miami star as La Liga giants make final deferred wage payments to former players and coaches
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Additionally, ExpressVPN's Basic plan includes the ExpressMailGuard, which offers a 10MB/month private email relay plus 10 shared aliases.
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Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE
Messi was not the only player to be impacted by this deferral, which hit most of the squad and some other members of staff amidst Barca's deteriorating financial situation during the Covid-19 pandemic. The financial effects of this have been felt by the club for the years which have followed, but the chapter has come to a close with these final payments. Other whose contracts were deferred included Samuel Umtiti, Sergio Busquets, Philippe Coutinho, Ousmane Dembele and former manager Ronald Koeman.
GettyWHAT NEXT FOR MESSI AND BARCELONA?
Messi will face his other former club Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup round of 16 on Sunday, after the Argentine hero inspired current club Inter Miami to five points and qualification from the group stage.
Barca are not taking part in the competition, so preparations will be well underway for the 2025-26 season. The Spanish champions will feel that a weight has been lifted off their shoulders with financial debts finally paid to their former employees.
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