While we all may be used to Lionel Messi’s various legal sagas, the Barcelona star is shaking things up with this new one. Messi is going on the offensive for once, as Football Leaks Spain–an account dedicated to sharing news about corruption and soccer–is reporting that Messi is suing ABC for $231,606, after the Spanish outlet published a story alleging that the Leo Messi Foundation hid and misrepresented funds.
You may recall that this isn’t the first time that Messi sues a media outlet this year. In April, the Argentinian successfully sued Spanish newspaper La Razón for defamation, as the outlet mocked the diminuitive futbolero for his childhood hormone deficiency. He won over $70,000 in that ruling.
Now, Messi is coming for ABC after their report last month that the Leo Messi Foundation created a framework of registration that allegedly hid millions of dollars over the last decade. No legal action has been taken against the Barcelona star, who just recently saw his tax evasion appeal denied (although he won’t serve any jail time, due to Spanish laws on non-violent convictions of under 2 years).
The news of his legal action against ABC should help deflect some of the accusations in the article, but at the end of the day, it will come down to the Spanish authorities, who have been having a field day with soccer players in recent months. In the meantime, Messi will just have to comfort himself with his honeymoon and his recently-signed Barcelona contract, which will keep him in the blaugrana jersey through the 2021 season at $33.6 million a year–the most lucrative yearly contract in all of sports.