Lionel Messi called ‘sewer rat’ in leaked email from Barcelona employee

Catalan media revealed the leaked message

Catalan media outlet El Periodico has claimed that police have discovered an email sent by a Barcelona employee in March 2020 that suggested they should leak the details of Lionel Messi's contract. They also reported that private messages from a group chat involving former directors of the club referred to Messi as a sewer rat’ and a ‘hormone-treated dwarf’ had been recovered. Spanish paper El Mundo leaked details of Messi's contract in January 2021 and police are now investigating if the author, and recipients of the uncovered emails, are breaking confidentiality laws. The Catalan outlet claim that Roman Gomez Ponti wrote the email when he was the top legal counsel at the club. President Josep Bartomeu and ex-chief executive Oscar Grau were copied into the message. Bartomeu, who had already relinquished his role as president, asked to know he leaked the salary demands and said that whoever had done, had 'done damage to the club'. Ponti allegedly responded by suggesting Bartomeu had been too good to Messi and said that the now Paris Saint-Germain star was trying to dictate what went on at Barça. One message published said: "Barto really, you can’t be such a good person with this sewer rat. "The club has given him everything when he has dedicated himself to dictating over signings, contract renewals, sponsors etc." Later on in the message they talk about an "accumulation of blackmail and rudeness that the club and those of us who work at the club have suffered from this hormone-treated dwarf who owes Barça his life." It then continued to say: "Ah! But when things go wrong you receive the famous whatsApp: '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." Related links:

• Lionel Messi offered chance to return to Barcelona
• How Lionel Messi was signed for Barcelona on a paper napkin
• Barcelona president hoped Lionel Messi would stay and ‘play for free’