Messi confirms pay cut for Barca players, criticises board

MADRID: Lionel Messi confirmed that Barcelona’s players will take a 70% pay cut and make financial contributions to ensure the club’s other employees are paid in full during the state of alarm in Spain.

In a lengthy message posted on his Instagram account, Messi also took another swipe at the Barcelona board, led by president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whom he accused of undermining the players during recent negotiations.

Other Spanish clubs are expected to follow suit in applying temporary pay cuts, as football’s hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic leaves a number of them fighting for financial survival.

Atletico Madrid have said the club will impose salary reductions on staff whose hours have been affected while Espanyol have also confirmed pay cuts, although for sporting staff only.

“For our part, the time has come to announce that, as well as the reduction of 70% of our salary during the State of Alarm, we will also make contributions so the club’s employees can collect 100% of their salary while this situation lasts,” Messi wrote.

He added: “We want to clarify that our desire has always been to apply a drop in salary because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are the first ones who have ALWAYS helped the club when asked.

“Many times we have even done it on our own initiative when we thought it necessary or important.

“Therefore, it never ceases to amaze 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.”

Messi’s message was soon posted on the pages of nearly all of his Barcelona teammates, including Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, Antoine Griezmann, Frenkie de Jong, Arturo Vidal and Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

The relationship between Barcelona’s players and board has been tense for several months, with Messi’s public criticism of technical secretary Eric Abidal in February just one of a number of off-field controversies.

Bartomeu said later on Monday the senior players were on board with taking pay cuts right from the start.

“From the first moment I wanted it be something agreed and not imposed even if I could do it by law, but we wanted to reach an agreement because it’s best for Barca and shows their commitment,” Bartomeu told Catalan sports daily Mundo Deportivo.

“From the first moment, Messi said that this must be done,” he added in an interview with Sport. — AFP