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Updated August 11th, 2021 at 20:29 IST

Messi's Barcelona exit influenced by Real Madrid? Club chief Florentino Perez clarifies

Due to Lionel Messi's sudden exit from Barcelona, Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez has recently been accused by Jaume Llopis of playing a role in his exit.

Reported by: Vidit Dhawan
Real Madrid chief Florentino Perez responds to accusations pertaining to Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit
Image: PTI, AP | Image:self
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Due to Lionel Messi's sudden exit from Barcelona, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has recently been accused by Jaume Llopis of playing a role in the Argentine's unexpected departure. Llopis is a former member of the Espai Barca Commission who resigned after receiving the news of Messi's exit. Llopis accused Barcelona club president Joan Laporta to permit the Argentine's departure under the guidance of club CEO Ferran Reverte and Real Madrid chief Perez. The accusation could come about because, for the longest of times, Laporta had been confident that the six-time Ballon d'Or winner would stay at the Camp Nou despite Barcelona's financial struggles.

Florentino Perez responds to Jaume Llopis' accusations

Florentino Perez has hit back at Jaume Llopis in a statement of his own, claiming that he has been falsely accused as he is not as close to Ferran Reverte. Perez said:

"In light of the statements made by Jaume Llopis, a former member of the Espai Barça Commission, I want to state the following: it is flatly false that he has been friends for a long time with the CEO of FC Barcelona, Ferran Reverter. He is a person with whom I have only met twice in my life, once four months ago and the other last Saturday at the meeting that took place in Barcelona with President Joan Laporta and President Andrea Agnelli when the official communication on Messi had already taken place. It is therefore impossible for me to have had some influence out of Messi or any other decision of the FC Barcelona. So I hope Jaume Llopis rectified as soon as possible these statements do not correspond to the truth."

Florentino Perez accused of influencing Lionel Messi's exit

Earlier, Jaume Llopis had claimed that Joan Laporta was not the main figure of authority in Barcelona despite his designation of the president as Ferran Reverte has greater influence. Speaking to Cadena SER, Llopis said, "The new CEO (Reverter) is in charge. I know that everything has to go through the CEO, everything has to be signed by the CEO and not the president. Laporta was pressured by his CEO, and on the other hand, Florentino convinced him. Between the two of them, they convinced him that he has to kick Messi out and not sign with CVC."

CVC Capital Partners are in discussion with La Liga over a €2.7bn (£2.3bn) deal that would see the investment fund receive a 10% stake of the Spanish league's future television rights. Llopis elaborated on Reverter and Perez's friendship before claiming, "It happens that Ferran Reverter has a long-standing friendship with Florentino Perez and between them, they convinced him and Laporta to radically change his mind, and refuse to continue negotiating (with Messi)."

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Published August 11th, 2021 at 20:29 IST

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