- Title: Barcelona's Messi looking forward to new season with new coach
- Date: 13th July 2017
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JULY 13, 2017) (REUTERS) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** EXTERIOR OF RAKUTEN INC HEADQUARTERS SIGN READING (English) "CRIMSON HOUSE" NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS (FROM LEFT) RAKUTEN CEO, HIROSHI MIKITANI SEATED WITH BARCELONA PLAYERS, LIONEL MESSI, NEYMAR, GERARD PIQUE AND ARDA TURAN (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) FC BARCELONA FORWARD, LIONEL MESSI, SAYING: (A
- Embargoed: 27th July 2017 09:50
- Keywords: Japan Rakuten FC Barcelona Spain Soccer
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Soccer,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA0016PJV8LB
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi said on Thursday (July 13) that he was looking forward to the start of the new season with new coach Ernesto Valverde.
Messi, who is set to sign a new contract to keep him at the La Liga club until 2021, attended an event organised by Japan's ecommerce giant Rakuten Inc in Tokyo, Japan, to mark the beginning of their shirt sponsorship with the club.
Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani took to the stage with Messi and his teammates Neymar, Gerard Pique and Arda Turan, to show off the new jersey the players will be wearing next season.
Barcelona agreed last year to the four-year deal for their shirt sponsorship with Rakuten worth 55 million euros ($58.90 million) a year excluding potential add-ons.
Barcelona -- once renowned for never having had a sponsor on their shirts -- will earn an additional 1.5 million euros for each time they win La Liga and an additional 5 million euros each time they win the Champions League.
The deal, which has an option to extend into a fifth season, will begin from the 2017-18 campaign. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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