Florentino Perez responds to accusations over role in Messi's Barcelona exit

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has quashed any talk over his influence in Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona.

Jaume Llopis, a former member of the Espai Barça Commission who resigned in the wake of Messi's exit, made the accusation that Barcelona club president Joan Laporta permitted Messi's exit under the guidance of Barca CEO Ferran Reverte alongside Los Blancos chief Perez.

Llopis even claimed that Laporta is not the main figure of authority at Barca despite his title of president and suggested Reverte boasts greater influence.

"The new CEO (Reverter) is in charge. I know that everything has to go through the CEO, everything has to be signed by the CEO and not the president," Llopis said on Cadena SER.

Real Madrid President Florentino Perez has denied he had any influence in Lionel Messi's Barcelona exit (Photo by Samuel de Roman/Getty Images)

"Laporta was pressured by his CEO and, on the other hand, Florentino convinced him. Between the two of them they convinced him that he has to kick Messi out and not sign with CVC."

CVC Capital Partners are in talks with La Liga chiefs over a deal that would see the private equity firm pocket a 10% share in the league's future television rights, much to the fury of many sides in the league, including Real Madrid.

Llopis discussed Barca's CEO Reverter and his friendship with Perez at great length before claiming: "It happens that Ferran Reverter has a long-standing friendship with Florentino Perez and between them they convinced him and Laporta to radically change his mind and refuse to continue negotiating (with Messi).

"What is surprising is that there are 25 days left until the end of the window, there was time to look for solutions."

Perez has since hit back in a statement of his own that claimed he is not as close to Reverte as Llopis has suggested.

"In light of the statements made by Jaume Llopis, a former member of the Espai Barça Commission, I want to state the following: it is flatly false that he has been friends for a long time with the CEO of FC Barcelona, Ferran Reverter.

Lionel Messi has signed a two-year deal with French giants Paris Saint-Germain ( Image:

REUTERS)

"He is a person with whom I have only met twice in my life, once four months ago and the other last Saturday at the meeting that took place in Barcelona with President Joan Laporta and President Andrea Agnelli, when the official communication on Messi had already taken place," Perez continued.

"It is therefore impossible for me to have had some influence out of Messi or any other decision of the FC Barcelona. So I hope Jaume Llopis rectified as soon as possible these statements do not correspond to the truth."

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