MESSI’S CONTRACT: $673M FOR 4 YEARS
BARCELONA, SPAIN» 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 on Sunday.
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 leak comes as Barcelona tries to manage a huge debt prompted mostly because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The 33-year-old has been with Barcelona for nearly two decades but asked to leave at the end of last season after saying he wasn’t happy with the direction the club was headed. He had his request denied but will be able to leave for free when this season ends.
Ex-Dodger Erickson charged with
reckless driving. los angeles Former Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Scott Erickson has been charged with reckless driving in connection to a hitand-run in Southern California that killed two boys last year.
The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office said Erickson, 52, was charged Wednesday with one misdemeanor count of reckless driving.
Investigators told KABC-TV he was racing with Rebecca Grossman on Sept. 29, moments before she struck and killed 11-year-old Mark Iskander and his 8-year-old brother Jacob as they crossed the street.
Gregorius gets 2-year, $28-million
deal from Phillies. The Philadelphia Phillies and shortstop Didi Gregorius have agreed on a two-year, $28 million contract, according to a person familiar with the deal.
Owner of Mets and a hedge fund
taking Twitter break. NEW YORK»
The owner of the New York Mets says he has dropped off Twitter because his family received threats that he attributed to “misinformation” that was not tied to the baseball team. “So I’m going to take a break for now,” Steve Cohen said Saturday.
His hedge fund, Point72, has become entangled in market turmoil that has pitted a band of small investors against traders that made bets against — or “shorted” — stock of companies including GameStop.
Australia Open to allow 30,000
fans a day. Up to 30,000 spectators a day will be allowed to attend the Australian Open in Melbourne when it begins Feb. 8, the sports minister of the state of Victoria said Saturday. Melbourne is Victoria’s capital.
Marseille condemns fans after training center attack.
MARSEILLE, FRANCE» 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.
Gut-Behrami wins women’s super-G
GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY» Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland won her third straight World Cup super-G, 10 days before the world championship race in the discipline.
Several racers were sitting out the races in Germany in order to prepare for the worlds in Italy, most notably Mikaela Shiffrin and Michelle Gisin. Noël wins men’s slalom.
CHAMONIX, FRANCE» Clément Noël got his first World Cup win in a year, triumphing on home snow.
Casey leading at Dubai Desert Classic.
DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES » 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.