da bet vitoria： Barcelona's financial situation remains precarious, with the club forced to continue paying former stars Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

da lvbet： Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Barca in a financial messMessi, Alba and Busquets have since left clubBut wages to Inter Miami trio continueWHAT HAPPENED?

Messi left Catalonia way back in the summer of 2021, embarking on a brief stint at Paris Saint-Germain before eventually finding himself stateside two years later. Former team-mates Alba and Busquets joined him that same summer, putting an end to their illustrious careers at Camp Nou. However, have now revealed that all three are still receiving payments from Barcelona in a shocking new update on the club's financial mess.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE EXPLANATION

The reason for these continued payments owes to Barca's delayed salary payment structure, made in attempts to ease their financial burdens following the COVID-19 pandemic. The Catalan club put off paying the likes of Messi, Alba and Busquets during those difficult seasons, meaning they all remain on the club's salary bill as they wait to be reimbursed. Midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is still at the club, is another player affected.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Outstanding payments to De Jong and the Inter Miami trio leave Barca's finances in tatters. The club's salary limit, according to the report, stands at €204 million (£175m/$189m), with recent information from UEFA suggesting Barca continue to exceed it by €300m (£257m/$324m). Their wage bill of €505m (£433m/$546m) is the second-highest throughout Europe, behind only PSG.

Getty Images DID YOU KNOW?

The Catalan club are currently awaiting payment from German fund Libero Football Finance for the 49 percent purchase of Barca Studios. Even with that investment, and provided this year's budget is not exceeded, Barcelona can still only sign players on a one-in-one-out basis, writes .