A group of Barcelona fans appeared in court on Tuesday to claim that PSG unfairly signed Lionel Messi. If the European Court determines that the group’s claims are justified, a full investigation into the matter proceeds.
Based in Lyon, France, the fan group insists that the player transaction was breached by the player transaction. Essentially, his argument is that PSG cheated the system when they signed Messi. The group claims PSG breached UEFA’s financial fair play rules. The group of fans considers these rules to be inefficient and ineffective.
“We are asking the commission to profoundly change the system,” Issam Abdelmouine, who is on the side of the prosecution, told the Associated Press. “Clubs like Barcelona face unfair competition and lose a lot of money and risk going private, and then the members will disappear.”
Previously, UEFA fined PSG for breaking these FFP rules. UEFA ordered the French club to pay a $10 million fine for excessive spending. That period of overspending began in 2018. This time frame includes Messi’s transfer. If PSG fail to meet certain financial targets, a penalty is applied. PSG could impose a fine of $146 million.
Group of Barcelona fans in court against PSG
Messi spent his entire senior club career at Barca before moving to PSG in the summer of 2021. PSG were able to sign Messi for free due to his contract with the Spanish club expiring after the 2020/21 season. However, financial rules set by the Spanish league prevented Barca from re-signing their superstar.
Qatar Sports Investments has owned PSG since 2011. The organization is led by President Nasser Al-Khelaifi and Vice President Adel Mohammed Tayyeb Mustafawi. QSI is a subsidiary of a state sovereign wealth fund in the Middle Eastern country Qatar Investment Authority.
A decision by the courts on this issue takes a few months. Potential appeals could also push back any official decision further.
PHOTO: IMAGO / HMB Media
