The Spanish footballing giants Barcelona are taking measures to cut the wages of the players and staff to reduce economic suffering due to the coronavirus or COVID-19 crisis, the La Liga club stated on Thursday.
All the professional players that include the Argentine playmaker Lionel Messi as well as the non-playing staff will face a wage reduction during the lockdown period, the directors of the club decided at a board meeting held via video conference.
Barca players to get a wage cut
Spain was put into lockdown on March 14 with citizens only allowed to leave their homes in order to conduct essential business. The period is expected to be extended this weekend once the initial 15-day period has finished. Spain has been Europe's second-most impacted country by the pandemic behind Italy, with the death toll surpassing 4,000. Over 56,000 people have tested positive for the virus.
"Among the measures adopted, it's worth noting those related to the workplace are motivated by the need to adapt the contractual obligations of the club staff to the new and temporary circumstances that we are experiencing," Barcelona said in a statement.
"It is a reduction of the working day, imposed by the circumstances and the protection measures carried out, and, as a consequence, the proportional reduction of the remuneration provided for in the respective contracts." Barca also said they have made their club and annex facilities available to the Catalan government's regional health department.
(With agency inputs)
