Barcelona players have taken 70% wage cut, says Lionel Messi
Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi has revealed that the first team players have taken a 70% wage cut in wake of the coronavirus pandemic. The deadly virus has claimed more than 37,000 lives with all sport activities suspended or postponed. Meanwhile, the players have also pledged donations to help the club's non-sport staff. Here's more on the same.
Barca players to help non-staff get full wages
The Argentine announced the move in an Instagram post. He insisted Barcelona's players were always open to pay cuts due to the COVID-19 pandemic but had to take time to figure out matters. Besides deduction of their own salaries, the move to help the non-staff receive full wages is a big call by the Barcelona players.
Messi reveals players' decision in wake of the COVID-19 pandemic
"The time has come to announce that, apart from the reduction of 70 per cent of our salary during the state of alarm, we are going to make contributions as well so that club employees can collect 100 per cent of their salary for the duration of this situation," Messi wrote on Instagram.
Messi criticizes suggestions regarding players' slow decision-making
"If we did not speak until now, it was because the priority for us was to find solutions that were real to help the club." Messi criticized suggestions the club's stars had been slow to make this decision. "Much has been written and said about the first team of Barcelona in what refers to the salaries of the players during this state of alarm."
Messi clarifies on players' will to accept decrease in salary
"First of all we want to clarify that our will has always been to apply a decrease in the salary we receive, because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first ones who have always helped the club," he said. "Many times we have even done it on our own initiative, at other times that we thought necessary."
Serie A giants Juventus also enforced pay cut
Juventus announced recently that they had cut their players' and coach Maurizio Sarri's salaries after all Italian sport was suspended. "The economic and financial effects of the understanding reached are positive for about 90 million euros ($100.5 million) for the 2019/2020 financial year," said a club statement. Earlier, players and directors at Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund agreed to take temporary pay cuts.
