REPORT: MESSI’S CONTRACT WORTH UP TO $673M

Lionel Messi’s most recent contract with Barcelona is worth up to 555 million euros ($673 million) over four seasons, the El Mundo newspaper reported.

The Spanish daily said it had access to the document Messi signed with the Catalan club in 2017, which included fixed incomes and variables that could reach nearly 138 million euros ($167 million) each season.

The newspaper said it is the most expensive contract ever paid to an athlete.

Messi would have to pay about half of that amount in taxes in Spain.

The report said the 33-year-old player has already secured more than 510 million euros ($619 million) of the total contract.

The leak comes as Barcelona tries to manage a huge debt prompted mostly because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The club has been led by a caretaker board since President Josep Bartomeu resigned in October while facing a no-confidence motion. New presidential elections are scheduled for March 7.

Barcelona plays a league match today.

More soccer

Marseille accused its own fans of “barbarism” after angry supporters forced their way into the club’s training complex on Saturday afternoon, hours before a French league home game against Rennes.

Three hours before kickoff, the league postponed Marseille’s evening match at Stade Velodrome — around 13 kilometers (8.5 miles) from the training ground — deeming it unsafe to hold the game with tensions so evidently high.

• A last-minute consolation and a bundled effort from a long throw-in are the only goals Manchester City has conceded in nine games across all competitions in 2021.

Pep Guardiola, one of the most attack-minded coaches in soccer history, has constructed a virtually impenetrable defensive unit in his fifth season at City and it is providing the platform for the team’s latest run at the Premier League title.

City’s lead grew to three points after battling to a 1-0 win over last-place Sheffield United, followed by secondplace Manchester United’s latest slipup, a 0-0 draw at Arsenal.

• Substitute Breno Lopes scored deep into stoppage time as Palmeiras won its second Copa Libertadores title with a 1-0 victory against Santos in an all-brazilian final. It was the first South American title for the Sao Paulo club since 1999.

• Zlatan Ibrahimovic missed a penalty but AC Milan won 2-1 at Bologna to bounce back from a disappointing week and stay atop Serie A.

• Bundesliga top-scorer Robert Lewandowski took his tally to 24 goals this season as Bayern Munich avenged its only defeat of 2020 with a 4-1 win over Hoffenheim.

Golf

Paul Casey hit a 3-iron to 10 feet and holed the eagle putt to complete a bogey-free 8-under 64 in the third round of the Dubai Desert Classic, giving the Englishman a one-stroke lead as he seeks a 15th win on the European Tour.

Local colleges

The San Diego State women’s basketball team (5-10, 3-6 Mountain West) was knocked off at Wyoming (8-7, 6-6) 62-41. Mercedes Staples led the Aztecs with 11 points.

• The UC San Diego women’s basketball team (2-5, 2-5 Big West) fell to visiting Long Beach State (9-1, 8-0), 74-53.

• Madison Corder delivered the go-ahead layup with 13 seconds on the clock as the Point Loma Nazarene women’s basketball team (4-1, 3-1 Pacwest) escaped Biola (1-4, 0-4) with a 94-91 victory.

Winter sports

Lara Gut-behrami won her third straight World Cup super-g, 10 days before the world championship race in the discipline. The Swiss skier confirmed her dominance with another clear victory at Garmisch-partenkirchem, Germany, a week after she won her home race in Crans Montana by 0.93 seconds.

• Clement Noel got his first World Cup win in a year, triumphing in the penultimate slalom at Chamonix, France, before the world championships.

• Russia’s Roman Repilov won his second consecutive men’s luge world championship, overtaking World Cup champion Felix Loch in the second heat to successfully defend the title at Konigssee, Germany.