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SOCCER | BARCELONA

Barcelona: Jordi Alba slams "lies" over Lionel Messi exit

Barça's Jordi Alba has refuted claims that his refusal to reduce his salary had a hand in club legend Lionel Messi leaving the Camp Nou.

Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Girona v FC Barcelona - Montilivi, Girona, Spain - January 27, 2019  Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal with Jordi Alba     REUTERS/Sergio Perez
Soccer Football - La Liga Santander - Girona v FC Barcelona - Montilivi, Girona, Spain - January 27, 2019 Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their second goal with Jordi Alba REUTERS/Sergio PerezSERGIO PEREZREUTERS

Barcelona full-back Jordi Alba has dismissed claims that his refusal to take a pay cut contributed to Lionel Messi’s departure from the Camp Nou this month.

Messi join Paris Saint-Germain a week ago after Barça said they were unable to renew his contract without falling foul of LaLiga’s financial-fair-play regulations, despite the Argentine agreeing a 50% wage drop.

Alba: "It didn't depend on me"

Imagine the effort I would have put in for him to stay,” Alba said, pointing to the understanding he built up with Messi during their nine years together at the Catalan club. “It didn’t depend on me.”

He added: “I cannot deal with lies and filtered information that generates doubts towards me when it’s not like that.”

See also:

Piqué takes 'substantial' pay cut to register Barça players