"Pique and Messi told me that no one has to know that we talk; people will want to kill us"

The COVID-19 pandemic also hit football for months and left economic consequences that some clubs are still paying for. The concern also reached the players and at FC Barcelona, where a wage cut of up to 70% was considered at the time, the same script was followed. 'The Objective' claims to have had access to communications between Luis Rubiales and Aleksander Ceferin. Also to the list of calls between the former RFEF president and Gerard Pique, who passed on a message from Leo Messi. On the horizon, the possibility of using part of the UEFA funds to compensate for this salary reduction.

The media outlet quoted above attaches evidence of an audio message from Luis Rubiales that the former president sends to the UEFA president. "Hello again, president. Sorry for my English, it's not the best. But I know you are very intelligent and that you will understand me. I spoke again with Leo Messi and Gerard Pique, you know they know me well and I know them well. Pique is a great friend of mine and they are trusting us. They are happy that RFEF and UEFA are the only institutions that are thinking about the players," Rubiales began.

"They know that FITPro and the union are at another level. The only thing they said to me, please, is that nobody has to know that we are talking because if people know that we are talking about our money, everybody will want to kill us. So I said, 'Don't worry, it's confidential. Just me and the president, just Pique and Messi'. Of course, if we come to an agreement and we have the possibility to use this money, I think it could be wonderful, president," Rubiales added.

Continuing with that idea, the former RFEF president even talks about timing: "We will make the announcement at the right time, not now, not before the end of this crisis. Of course, they are so careful with the situation that everybody knows that they want to receive the money they lost that they are afraid of this, it must be very confidential. If we decide to have it, we have to choose the right moment. I'm sorry for my audio, but I think it's necessary". So closes Rubiales in the fragment published by 'The Objective', which speaks of many others that he relates.

In other conversations that he transcribes through an illustration, this time without audio, Ceferin emphasises "it's your idea" when Rubiales proposes to announce this measure publicly with Messi and other players. "I say it is important for us to have Messi and the rest with us. No need to put money in. We just change the destination and continue to give money to young clubs better than paying salaries, but not for the rest of the clubs," argues the Spaniard, who receives a validation emoticon from Ceferin. All this happens, according to 'The Objective', on 2nd April 2020.

Two days later, on the 4th, there is a new conversation via WhatsApp. Rubiales asks the UEFA president if he has already thought about the proposal and recommends him to "tell Leo Messi at the right time" because "he is afraid that it will be known that we are looking after the salaries of great players". Two minutes later, he adds: "We will also include the salary of poor players. All together in a very big find. A big hug," writes Rubiales.

 

May 21, 2024