Messi and Piqué will face trial.

At the beginning of 2020, when Europe was affected by the coronavirus, the top leagues on the continent suspended their activities, reports XSPORT.ua.

Due to a lack of income, clubs reduced the salaries of their players. According to The Objective, Messi and Piqué were concerned about the decline in earnings.

As a result of the investigation, their contacts with UEFA were revealed. The Barcelona players reached out to Ceferin through Rubiales, the head of the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Journalists reported that the negotiations revolved around obtaining additional financial support. The funds discussed by Messi, Piqué, Rubiales, and Ceferin came from UEFA.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the European organization planned to establish a support system for clubs. Meanwhile, the Barcelona players aimed to secure as much funding as possible.

Objective obtained voice messages and screenshots of conversations among the four. Rubiales, then-president of the RFEF, even requested confidentiality. However, it seems that the information provided by the Spanish portal was not merely a rumor.

On Wednesday, a court in Granada initiated an investigation into corruption in football. Messi, Piqué, Ceferin, and Rubiales will be questioned soon, the prosecutor confirmed.

Josep Sola Fayette is working to expedite the examination of the case. The Spanish judge has requested that lawyers and their clients appear in court within the next five days to provide explanations.