"I have not authorized any of these leaks" - Bartomeu comments on leaked Barcelona contracts of Lionel Messi and Pique

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has denied claims that he authorized the leaks of Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique's contract details.

The Mossos d'Esquarda have issued a report regarding the "Barcagate" case about the leaked contract details of Messi and Pique. Bartomeu was allegedly involved in the emails regarding the leaks.

The former president of the Catalan club has now issued a statement, saying (via MARCA):

"I want to clarify that I have not made any of these leaks, I have not authorized any of these leaks and I have not had prior knowledge of any leaks."

The police report on the case points towards former Barcelona general manager Oscar Grau and the Catalan club's former head of legal services Roman Gomez-Ponti as the two main culprits in the case.

The Mossos report reads:

"Everything indicates that Óscar Grau and Román Gómez-Ponti wanted and intended to make public the personal data of FC Barcelona workers such as Leo Messi and Gerard Piqué. Josep Maria Bartomeu had direct knowledge of these claims, so it cannot be ruled out that these people be collaborators."

The police report also included a series of WhatsApp messages that indicated an alleged smear campaign against Pique and former presidential candidate Victor Font.

Grau, Gomez-Ponti, and Bartomeu all allegedly participated in the conversations. Bartomeu said in one of the conversations:

"Oscar (Grau), this leak has only been able to leave the club, it has never been made public and I understand that only a few people have access to Messi's contract. I don't think it was a leak from him to leave. Whoever leaked it hurts the club."

Josep Maria Bartomeu issues an appeal for the case involving former Barcelona superstars Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique

FC Barcelona v Elche CF - Joan Gamper Trophy: Lionel Messi

Former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has issued an appeal in the ongoing case. He wants the police report for the "Barcagate" case involving Lionel Messi and Gerard Pique to be withdrawn. Bartomeu argued that the report from Mossos has nothing to do with the original context of the case.

The appeal read:

"As can be seen from its mere reading, it is nothing more than a report (and it is not the first) in which the Mossos, in an absolutely biased and partial way, extract certain alleged indications completely taken out of context."