By Mike Parrott
Lionel Messi is risking a ban from football by FIFA if he tries to leave Barcelona against the team's will. Messi handed in a formal transfer request on August 25th and is trying to leave the club on a free transfer.
The Lionel Messi transfer saga keeps adding every day.
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Ever since Messi handed in his formal transfer request in the evening of August 25th, more stories have come out regarding the ramifications of Messi leaving Barcelona.
With Messi still having one year left on his current deal, the Catalans are holding out for his £631 million release clause to be activated by a team who wants him.
However, the Argentine is trying to get around this and have his contract terminated by FIFA.
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Nick De Marco QC, who has represented sport's governing bodies, players, clubs and agents since 2002, says world football's governing body is likely to be asked to settle any dispute in the first instance.
"If it ended up anywhere, it would be most likely in the FIFA Dispute Resolution Chamber because Messi, being Argentinian, the FIFA rules would apply, and FIFA has its own set of laws and rules," De Marco, of Blackstone Chambers, told Sky Sports.
"So, it's unlikely to be Spanish law or English law or Swiss law but it would be the FIFA rules that apply, and they have a commission that can determine these things.
"Ultimately, either party can then appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. That's how these sorts of issues are normally dealt with.
"One possibility, and it's certainly not one I'm advising anybody, is a player simply just walks out and says, 'I'm entitled to walk out, so I'm walking out'.
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"The risk with that strategy is, although FIFA will normally allow the registration to move with the player, if the club then brings a claim and succeeds, not only is the player liable to [pay] damages but also is likely to be banned under FIFA rules for a period of months and the new club signing him have a transfer embargo.
"It's such a high-risk strategy that, unless you were sure that the player was in the right, it's not a risk one would take."
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Featured Image Credit:Topics: Football News, UEFA Champions League, Football, Barcelona, Transfers, Lionel Messi, La Liga
