Lionel Messi left Barcelona primarily because the club could not afford to offer him a new contract due to financial difficulties and La Liga's strict salary cap rules. Despite Messi being willing to take a substantial pay cut, Barcelona's wage bill exceeded what was allowed under the league's financial fair play regulations. The club's financial troubles were worsened by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on revenue and years of overspending. This forced Barcelona to release him, leading Messi to join Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2021. Both Messi and the club wanted him to stay, but the league's financial rules made it impossible.
