Sergio Aguero has launched a lawsuit against Barcelona, alleging that the club owes him around $3.3 million in unpaid salary. Aguero was forced into early retirement due to a heart condition just months after joining the Spanish club in 2021. He now claims that Barcelona has failed to honor financial commitments related to the period he spent playing for them before his retirement. This development has added to the growing list of financial disputes facing the club. It has also further complicated their already strained financial situation.

In the summer of 2021, Aguero made headlines with his decision to leave Manchester City after a decade of success. He then opted to join Barcelona. Many saw the move as a high-profile transfer. There were hopes that the Argentine striker would help lead Barcelona to new heights following Lionel Messi’s departure. Unfortunately, Aguero’s time at the club stopped prematurely due to a heart problem. This then led to his premature retirement just five months into his two-year contract.

The heart condition was diagnosed in December 2021, and Aguero announced his retirement soon after. He cited medical advice that continuing to play soccer could endanger his life. He agreed to forgo the salary for his second year under contract. Still, Aguero expected compensation for the first year he played. It is an amount totaling approximately $3.3 million. However, the club has yet to make this payment, leading the ex-striker to pursue legal action.

Why are Aguero and Barcelona embroiled in legal battle?

According to Diario AS, Aguero has filed a conciliation notice against Barcelona, seeking the unpaid sum. Barcelona had previously agreed to pay Aguero for his time at the club. However, the payment was delayed after the club’s insurance company refused to cover the amount, citing the heart condition as a pre-existing issue. The player’s camp disputes this. It argues that the condition was unknown before his signing with the Catalan giants.

The situation has since escalated, with Aguero seeking legal recourse to resolve the issue. A conciliation meeting between the two sides happened in June 2024. They failed to reach an agreement. Now, the case is under review by a social court. The Blaugrana claimed in its financial report for the 2023-24 season that they have no record of the case going to a specific court yet. Despite this, Aguero reportedly hopes to settle the matter out of court.

Barcelona’s financial woes

Aguero’s lawsuit is just one of several financial challenges currently plaguing Barcelona. The club, which has struggled with financial instability in recent years, is also facing a $11 million lawsuit from Scores Sports Management. The agency is suing the Spaniards over unpaid fees related to the transfer of Ousmane Dembele to Paris Saint-Germain in 2023.

Scores Sports Management claims Barcelona owes the fee for brokering Dembele’s transfer, a claim that Barcelona disputes. The club has argued that the buyout clause paid by PSG already allocated half of the transfer fee to Dembele’s agent, Moussa Sissoko, thus absolving the club of any additional financial obligations.

Additionally, Barcelona has recently settled another long-standing dispute with former player Gabriel Milito, who claimed $7.5 million for unfair dismissal dating back to 2011. The settlement arrived in July 2024, just days before the La Liga giants’ financial report came to light.

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