Why did Rubiales, Messi, and Piqué allegedly try to divert UEFA funds in 2020?

In 2020, according to spanish newspaper The Objective, a series of leaked messages and audio recordings shed light on clandestine negotiations between football stars Lionel Messi and Gerard Piqué, former RFEF (Royal Spanish Football Federation) president Luis Rubiales, and UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin. The discussions centered around financial matters during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The pandemic disrupted football leagues worldwide, leading to revenue losses and salary reductions for players. Barcelona FC, where Messi and Piqué played, faced financial challenges due to reduced revenue from matches and sponsorships.

According to the Spanish Newspaper Messi and Piqué proposed diverting funds from UEFA to compensate “certain” players for salary cuts. The idea was to use UEFA’s financial reserves to alleviate the financial strain on players. On the audios Rubiales explained to Ceferin that Messi and Piqué emphasized the need for confidentiality, fearing backlash if the negotiations were exposed. The leaked messages revealed their concern about public perception.

What did Piqué say to Luis Rubiales?

On the audios obtained by The Objective Piqué and Luis Rubiales had their first talk on April 2, 2020. With Messi’s consent, Piqué tells Rubiales that the Argentine footballer is worried about the coronavirus pandemic’s impact on his 75 million-dollar-a-year contract.

According to the reports, Barcelona had proposed a wage cut of up to 70% for their staff a week earlier, and the Ballon d’Or winner knew the players needed to make a similar sacrifice. The conversation with Rubiales was aimed at preventing this from happening.

Rubiales decides to lay out his plan in front of Ceferin. “I’m sending you this audio with a message from Leo Messi. It’s my voice, but his message.”

Rubiales suggested to Ceferin the redirection of RFEF funds from UEFA for the benefit of Leo Messi and other affected players. “I say it is important for us to have Messi and the rest with us. There is no need to spend money. We just change where the funds go” Rubiales expressed to Ceferin.

Did UEFA divert funds to compensate players from Barcelona?

While the negotiations didn’t lead to any concrete actions, they highlighted the complexities of managing football during a crisis.

The leaked conversations raised questions about transparency, ethics, and the role of football’s governing bodies.

It is unclear why UEFA and the RFEF did not divert funds that would have benefited the players and their wages. Rubiales and Piqué are currently being investigated on a separate issue involving the federation selling the rights to the Spanish Super Cup to Saudi groups and again diverting funds for personal gain.