Messi is a football superstar, and even though he is now 34 years old, his influence is still rarely matched in football. The name Messi used to represent Barca, but now he has moved to Ligue 1 and has become a member of Paris Saint-Germain. In more than a season at Paris Saint-Germain, Messi gradually adapted to the new league, new team roles, and performed better and better, gradually forgetting the sadness of his parting ways with Barca last summer.
Now, with the Spanish media "World Sport" exposing Messi's request for a contract extension to Barca in the summer of 2020, Messi, who had been trying to keep a low profile, has once again been pushed to the cusp of the storm. When Messi bid farewell to Barca last summer, tears poured over the Camp Nou stadium. He has been at Barca for nearly twenty seasons, suddenly leaving, or forced to leave, Messi's heart is naturally full of mixed feelings, there is reluctance and unwillingness, and he does not understand why Barca is not willing to renew his contract.
In the summer of 2020, Messi's contract with Barca became a one-year contract. Messi became a free agent last July, but at that time no one would doubt that he would leave Barca in the new season. Messi returned to Barcelona early to prepare to open contract extension negotiations with Barca, but when the conditions for Barca's contract extension with Messi were widely spread, Barca suddenly announced that he would not renew his contract with Messi, and the 33-year-old Messi lost his job, accompanied by fans' insults and criticism of Barca.
Fans believe that Barca played Messi and failed the football superstar. However, now with Messi's request for a contract extension disclosed by Le Monde, Barca should also be rehabilitated. Messi's renewal requirements are, first of all, to ensure that the annual salary of 75 million euros after tax remains unchanged, in addition to many requirements. Messi asked for a 3-year renewal of the contract, but Messi could unilaterally decide whether to extend the contract, asking for a signing fee of 10 million euros, and the termination fee was changed from 700 million euros to 10,000 euros, which means that Messi can leave at any time.
Due to the epidemic, Barca cut the salary of players in the 2020-2021 season, Messi cut his salary by 20%, Messi asked for repayment in the next two seasons, and there is also an annual interest rate of 3%, while Messi asked for loyalty awards and its interest. In addition to money, Messi also made other demands, such as Messi's request for Barca to set up a private box for him and Suarez's family at the Camp Nou stadium, to provide him with a private plane for him to return to Argentina on holidays, and if the resulting tax increases, Barca needs to bear this part of the tax.
That's not all, Messi asked Barca to renew his personal assistant for the same number of years as Messi, asking the club to pay his brother the commission he owed. Bartomeu, then Barca president, is said to have agreed to most of the demands, but only rejected the 10 million euro signing fee and the adjustment of the termination fee from 700 million euros to 10,000 euros. After La Porta took office, he deeply felt that Barca at that time could not fulfill Messi's request, so he did not renew Messi's contract after Messi's contract expired in 2021.
Although Messi has now left Barca, his career has been deeply branded by Barca, and it can also be said that most of Messi's career has been dedicated to Barca. Messi brought 35 titles to Barca, is a meritorious player in the history of Barca, it is said that Barca should meet all the requirements of Messi, but Messi's requirements are indeed a bit excessive, not to mention that Barça at that time was affected by the epidemic, financial difficulties, and difficulties.
If Messi can think about Barca, lower some of his own requirements, and get through the difficulties with Barca, maybe the two sides will still work together now. Messi retired at Barca, achieving a good story in football. Now Messi has moved to Paris Saint-Germain, while Barca have been rejuvenated through economic leverage. I thought that Mbappe's request when he renewed his contract this summer was a bit outrageous, but looking at the demands that Messi has made now, it is even more than Mbappe.