https://sputnikglobe.com/20220216/felt-deceived-rift-brewing-between-lifelong-friends-gerard-pique--lionel-messi-media-says-1093084823.html
'Felt Deceived': Rift Brewing Between Lifelong Friends Gerard Pique & Lionel Messi, Media Says
'Felt Deceived': Rift Brewing Between Lifelong Friends Gerard Pique & Lionel Messi, Media Says
Sputnik International
For more than two decades, Lionel Messi and Barcelona were synonymous with each other. However, their longstanding association finally ended last year, with... 16.02.2022, Sputnik International
2022-02-16T13:24+0000
2022-02-16T13:24+0000
2024-01-22T10:58+0000
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World Cup and Euro winner Gerard Pique was the main man behind Lionel Messi's ouster from Barcelona last summer, Spanish publication El Pais has claimed.According to the newspaper, it was the Spain defender who persuaded the La Liga club's management against signing a new deal with the Argentine great, because Messi's huge wage bill would have had a great impact on the club's mounting debt, which stands at nearly $1.5 billion right now. While Messi had agreed to slash his salary by 50 percent from the mammoth $600 million he received during his previous four-year stint at Barca, club president Joan Laporta told him that their finances were in a mess and that the Catalans would not be able to keep him.This was despite the fact that Messi's close friends at Camp Nou, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, had taken pay cuts in order to free up space for him to stay in Spain.But Pique didn't follow suit, something which was expected of him, especially when the matter was about Messi's exit from the club. Although the Barcelona defender slashed his wage, it was only after Messi had left.As per the country's press, a rift is brewing between Messi and Pique over the aforementioned "betrayal".However, this is not the first time that reports of growing tensions between Messi and Pique, who first met at Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia, before having a 14-year sojourn together at the club, have emerged.Last month, Spanish radio Onda Cero's reporter Alfredo Martinez declared that their relationship was "broken" after Messi met both Alba and Busquets during his recent visit to Barcelona, but Pique was not seen around, as he was apparently "not invited" to the get-together.
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'Felt Deceived': Rift Brewing Between Lifelong Friends Gerard Pique & Lionel Messi, Media Says
13:24 GMT 16.02.2022 (Updated: 10:58 GMT 22.01.2024) For more than two decades, Lionel Messi and Barcelona were synonymous with each other. However, their longstanding association finally ended last year, with the Argentine moving to Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on a free transfer. Now, a Spanish footballer and lifelong friend of the Camp Nou talisman is being blamed for his exit from the Catalan club.
World Cup and Euro winner Gerard Pique was the main man behind
Lionel Messi's ouster from Barcelona last summer, Spanish publication El Pais has claimed.
According to the newspaper, it was the Spain defender who persuaded the
La Liga club's management against signing a new deal with the Argentine great, because Messi's huge wage bill would have had a great impact on the club's mounting debt, which stands at nearly $1.5 billion right now.
While Messi had agreed to slash his salary by 50 percent from the mammoth $600 million he received during his previous four-year stint at Barca, club president
Joan Laporta told him that their finances were in a mess and that the Catalans would not be able to keep him.
This was despite the fact that Messi's close friends at Camp Nou, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, had taken pay cuts in order to free up space for him to stay in Spain.
But Pique didn't follow suit, something which was expected of him, especially when the matter was about Messi's exit from the club. Although the Barcelona defender slashed his wage, it was only after Messi had left.
As per the country's press, a rift is brewing between Messi and Pique over the aforementioned "betrayal".
"The last contract renewal signed by Pique did a lot of damage to Messi and he felt disappointed", journalist Lluis Canut, who closely monitors the club, told Catalan outlet Onze on TV3.
"In part, he also felt deceived by Pique, because [he then didn't further reduce his contract] until Messi left the club and Messi felt he should have done that earlier to try and avoid his exit", he added.
However, this is not the first time that reports of growing tensions between Messi and Pique, who first met at Barcelona's famous youth academy, La Masia, before having a 14-year sojourn together at the club, have emerged.
Last month, Spanish radio Onda Cero's reporter Alfredo Martinez declared that their relationship was "broken" after Messi met both Alba and Busquets during his recent visit to Barcelona, but Pique was not seen around, as he was apparently "not invited" to the get-together.
