Six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi had asked former Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu to let him leave Nou Camp in August 2020, a leaked burofax reveals. The Argentine, on a free transfer, joined Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint Germain last month. 

Leaked by a Barcelona-based Spanish nationwide daily sports newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Lionel Messi’s burofax was dated August 24, 2020. The 34-year-old stated that he was planning to leave the club on the 30th of that month by invoking a clause in the contract that allowed him to become a free agent. He specified the terms of the clause that allowed him to be released from his contract. 

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“Dear Mr. Bartomeu,” Messi’s burofax began.

“Hereby, and in accordance with the provisions of clause 3.1 of the contract dated November 25, 2017, I hereby express my wish to terminate my employment contract as a professional footballer with effect from August 30, 2020.

“I understand that the time frame of the right of unilateral termination without cause regulated by the aforementioned clause must be interpreted in accordance with the exceptional circumstances in which the 2019/20 football competition season has taken place, due to the state of emergency and the situation of force majeure resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic.

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“Due to these exceptional circumstances, the 2019/20 competition season ended yesterday, without prejudice to the fact that for our team, this end took place on August 15, when we returned to Barcelona after our elimination from the Champions League on the night of August 14.

“In any case, within 10 days following the end of the season of competition, and thus meeting the agreed deadline for exercising the aforementioned clause 3.1., in accordance with the material contract of our agreement, which must be interpreted in accordance with the exceptional circumstances of the 2019/20 season, I exercise my right to terminate the contract with effect from August 30, 2020, with the consequences provided for in the aforementioned stipulation 3.1.

“Yours sincerely,

“Lionel Andres Messi.”

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Barcelona, struggling financially, couldn’t fit Messi’s new contract into the Spanish league’s financial fair-play regulations. Messi left after 17 seasons and signed with Paris Saint-Germain.

Messi’s Barcelona contract expired on June 30, 2021, months after Joan Laporta replaced Bartomeu as Barcelona president.