Barcelona players will take a 70 pay cut during the COVID – 19 pandemic and also make additional contributions to ensure that non-football staff are paid their wages in full.
More than 7,000 lives have been claimed by Coronavirus in Spain, making it the worst-affected country behind Italy.
Bundesliga sides Bayern Munchen and Borussia Dortmund also agreed to take pay cuts.
Barcelona Captain Lionel Messi confirmed that the move to take 70% pay cut was delayed as Barca players were ‘’looking for a way to assist the club’’.
Messi issued a statement: ‘’Before going any further, we want to make it clear that we were always willing to reduce our salaries because we understand perfectly that we are in an exceptional situation. We, as players, are always here to help the club when they ask.
‘’It does not cease to surprise us that from within the club there were those who tried to put us under the magnifying glass and tried to add pressure to do something that we always knew we would do.
‘’If we didn’t speak until now, it’s because the priority was to find solutions to help the club and see who the most affected were during this situation.
‘’For our party, the moment has arrived that, the cut will be 70% of our wage during the state of alarm. We will also help out the club in order for the workers to be paid 100% of their wages.’’
Barca’s board of directors and members of its professional sports teams have also agreed to take pay cuts.
FC Barcelona sit top of the La liga table with 58 points after 27 matches.
Read more information here.
Read More:
Belarus Premier League plays on amid fear of spread of Coronavirus
