LaLiga president Javier Tebas has put Barcelona's financial problems down to the coronavirus rather than Lionel Messi's contract.
El Mundo revealed on Saturday night that the Argentine has earned over 555 million euros since signing his current deal at the Camp Nou in 2017.
"Barcelona's delicate financial situation (like other big clubs) is not Messi's fault but the devastating effect of COVID," Tebas tweeted.
"Without the pandemic, the income generated by the best player in history would prop up that expenditure.
"The sensationalism that surrounds the matter is unfair."