Barcelona President Joan Laporta has stated that the team will need to break the UEFA Financial Fair Play, FFP rules to extend Lionel Messi’s contract.

Mr Laporta, while speaking to Spanish media ElTransistorOC, mentioned that both the club and the player want the extension of the contract but increasing his current financial terms will break the FFP rules.

Six-times Ballon D’or winner, Lionel Messi signed a reported £477 million four-year contract with Barcelona in June 2017 which has now elapsed some hours ago.

The deal is the most expensive sporting deal for any player on the planet beating other players in sports like Basketball, Golf and Boxing.

Spanish media outlet, El Mundo in December 2020 reported the financial details of the Messi contract which was alleged to have been leaked by Barcelona former President, Josep Barthomeu.

Mr Barthomeu denied leaking the contract but confirmed the content of the report when he added that “The player deserves the amount because he generates in excess of that, both for his sporting and commercial contribution.”

Further breakdown of the report revealed that the Argentine was raking in £112 million annually ranging from wages and bonuses in the four-year contract.

34-year-old Messi has contributed majorly to the success of the Camp Nou side in the past 18 years where he emerged the highest goalscorer and with highest assists for the most part.

The Argentine is arguably the best player of all time with the most Ballon D’or awards, most FIFA World Best Player awards, most European Golden Boot Award, most goals scored in a single league in Europe amongst others.

Messi joined Barcelona Academy in 2001 and faced health challenges with an ailment, the growth hormone deficiency, which Barcelona took charge of financing the recovery.

Messi has scored double digit league goals for the past 15 seasons with Barcelona since 2006-2007, a feat that has placed him above every other player as regards consistent performance.

In 2011-2012, the 5ft7inches tall player scored 73 goals in all competitions in 60 appearances. He won his first Ballon D’or at age 22 in 2008-2009 season.

His goals and assists in the past 17 seasons have contributed immensely to Barcelona’s successes where they’ve won ten La Liga titles, four UEFA Champions League titles and three FIFA Club World Cup trophies.

The financial fair play rule was introduced by former UEFA President, Michel Platini, in a move to curb excessive spending by clubs beyond their income. Its implementation began in the 2011-2012 season.

The FFP rule exempted funds expended on training ground, youth development and infrastructure from the restriction while the particular interest was on the transfer fees and wages of players.

The FFP rule ensures that the total income for a club must be put into consideration to determine the total expenses of transfer fee, salaries and finance costs of a team and breaking the law will lead to sanctions.

Manchester City, AC Milan, Chelsea and Paris Saint Germain are amongst clubs to have been issued sanctions for breaking the FFP rule. 

The eight sanctions ascribed to the FFP range from deducting points, fines, suspension from participating in competitions, blocking receipt of revenue from UEFA competitions, warnings and restricting the number of players for a UEFA competition.

Lionel Messi, arguably the greatest player of all time, is now currently out of contract with Barcelona even as Laporta promised they were finding a way to reach a compromise for both sides.