LaLiga has followed through with the threat that Javier Tebas revealed to AS on Wednesday.
LaLiga reject PSG payment
The lawyer Juan de Dios Crespo, accompanied by two other people, arrived at the LaLiga offices in Madrid on Thursday with the intention of depositing the €222m required to activate Neymar’s release clause. Yet LaLiga has not accepted the money.
Javier Gómez, the general corporate director, was the individual charged with delivering the bad news to PSG and Neymar.
The Brazilian winger bid farewell to his team-mates at Barcelona’s training complex on Wednesday morning, and the Catalan club released a statement later in the day confirming that the player can leave if his €222m release clause is activated.
Financial Fair Play concerns
LaLiga has complicated proceedings. The activation of a release clause is a right that only Spanish clubs are entitled to.
Yet the principal reason is that the organisation deems it impossible that PSG can finance a move for Neymar without violating the Financial Fair Play regulations imposed by UEFA.
"It is financial doping without a shadow of a doubt,", Tebas said in reference to the backing PSG supposedly receives from the Qatari state.
He continued, "state-backed clubs that compete using ‘financial doping’ could destabilise professional football in Europe, the international transfer market, and the competitions."
LaLiga issue statement
LaLiga issued a brief statement to BBC Sport following its rejection of the €222m sum:
"We can confirm that the lawyers of the player (Neymar) have come to La Liga to deposit the clause and that it has been rejected. It is all the information we will give so far."
Neymar to go to FIFA
In response, it is understood that Neymar will appeal to FIFA for a provisional transfer to PSG.
As of Wednesday, UEFA had not received any complaints regarding PSG's transfer activity.
Barcelona release statement
Barcelona have released a statement on the ongoing fiasco:
"On Thursday afternoon Neymar Jr's legal representatives visited in person the Club's offices and made the payment of 222 million euros in the player's name with regards to the unilateral termination of the contract that united both parties.
As such, the Club will pass on to UEFA the details of the above operation so that they can determine the disciplinary responsibilities that may arise from this case."