"Hormonal dwarf" - PSG superstar Lionel Messi was reportedly subjected to vile insults by Barcelona official, according to leaked WhatsApp chats
According to SPORT, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstar Lionel Messi was subjected to vile insults by Barcelona's former head of legal services Roman Gomez Ponti.
The publication got hold of a series of Whatsapp messages exchanged between the former Barca board, which revealed an intense animosity towards the club legend.
The conversations also included Josep Maria Bartomeu, former CEO Oscar Grau, and executives Jordi Moix, Oriol Tomas, and David Bellver. Former CFO Pancho Schroder and Director for Strategy & Innovation Javier Sobrino were also part of the chats.
17 years ago today, Lionel Messi signed his first Barcelona contract ✍🏼 https://t.co/tTpCC244Dw
The leak of Lionel Messi's contract with El Mundo sparked an uproar among the board members, particularly over its source. On January 31st, 2021 - a day after the publication - they took to the group chat to make their feelings known. Pontí, in particular, unleashed a volley of disrespectful comments targeting Messi.
By the time his contract ends in June, Lionel Messi will have earned over €555 million from the Barcelona deal he signed in 2017, according to El Mundo 🤑
Worth all that money? 🤯 https://t.co/9aoeSFuhf1
Ponti is claimed to have sent the following words to Bartomeu and the group in Spanish (via SPORT):
"Barto, really, you can't be such a good person with this sewer rat. The club has given him everything and he has dedicated himself to marking a dictatorship of signings, transfers, renewals, sponsors just for him, etc."
The former head of legal services went on to claim that Lionel Messi did not know how to read, further stating that the PSG superstar's partner was a drug dealer:
"I will never be able to do it but to the figures of his contract should be added Pinto, the renewal of Suarez, and Jordi Alba, or the renewal fee of Fati (Rodrigo Messi, agent?). But he doesn't even know how to read and on top of that he had a drug dealer as a partner)."
Ponti accused Messi of blackmail, before calling him a "hormonal dwarf":
"And above all, the accumulation of blackmails and disrespect that the club and those of us who work at the club have suffered from this hormonal dwarf who owes Barcelona his life... ah!"
Ponti then accused Messi of warning Bartomeu against touching his salary:
"But when things go wrong (pandemic) you receive the mythical WhatsApp message: 'presi, lower the salary of the others, but don't touch me and Luis'. I hope he leaves amidst the indifference of the people, which is the worst thing that can happen to him."
While former CEO Grau agreed with Ponti's words, Bartomeu reportedly responded:
"I agree on many things, but first Barcelona and this type of article hurts the club's image."
Barcelona legend Lionel Messi banned from parading World Cup trophy at PSG
According to Mirror, the Argentine World Cup winner has been banned from parading the trophy by Paris Saint-Germain. The diminutive maestro was magical in Qatar, but will have to do without a parade from his club following his heroics with the Albiceleste.
Lionel Messi returned to the PSG training ground and received a guard of honour from his teammates. However, the club’s hierarchy opted against a public parade to celebrate the former Barcelona man’s triumph due to his final victory coming at the expense of France.
Unsavory comments directed at Messi’s French teammate Kylian Mbappe by argentine keeper Emiliano Martinez in the aftermath of the final left the club’s hierarchy with little option on the matter. Messi, however, made a scoring return to PSG's affairs and looks set to continue his rich vein of form in the second half of the season.
The PSG fans will however have to set aside their disappointment following their World Cup final loss to Lionel Messi and the Albiceleste. They will hope that the Barcelona legend can continue his magical season with them as well.