Bundesliga clubs take pay cut amid crisis

BERLIN: Footballers at Germany’s top teams, including Bayern Munich, have agreed to take pay cuts to help clubs survive the economic impact of the coronavirus, media reports said on Tuesday.

Newspaper Bild said players and club officials at champions Bayern, top of the Bundesliga when the season was halted on March 13, have accepted a 20 percent cut in their salaries.

Like all top European leagues, the German top flight is losing income from broadcasting, sponsorships and ticket sales during the Covid-19 pandemic, with matches in Germany suspended until at least April 2.

Bayern have a massive wage bill which reached €336 million last year, almost half of club turnover.

Players at Borussia Moenchengladbach were the first in the Bundesliga to propose a pay cut, followed by others at Werder Bremen, Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund. Bayer Leverkusen players are in talks over pay cut proposals with management.

Second-placed Dortmund said their squad members had taken a salary reduction to show solidarity with the club’s 850 employees. Coach Lucien Favre and club directors have also made a personal offer to take a pay cut.