Barcelona says it will reduce player wages to ‘minimize economic impact’ caused by coronavirus

Barcelona has announced its players and staff will take temporary wage cuts as the club grapples with the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

La Liga has been suspended indefinitely, with officials saying on Monday that it would only resume when the government confirmed it was safe to do so.

Spain has become one of the countries worst affected by Covid-19 with a total of 56,188 cases recorded, according to Spanish Health Ministry data released on Thurdsay, and at least 4,089 deaths, putting the healthcare system under immense strain.

Due to the impact of the novel coronavirus on Barcelona’s revenue streams, the club says it will “implement a series of measures to mitigate its effects and reduce the economic effects.” That included reducing player wages as, the club said, the working day had been shortened.

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Updated 8:43 AM EDT, Fri March 27, 2020

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“Among the measures adopted, those related to the workplace are motivated by the need to adapt the club’s contractual obligations with its staff to the new and temporary circumstances that we are experiencing,” the club said in a statement.

“This involves the presentation of different cases concerning football and other professional sports, as well as for the other non-sporting personnel.

“These are measures that the club wishes to implement in scrupulous observance of formal labour regulations, under the criteria of proportionality, and above all fairness, and with the sole objective of resuming the club’s activities as soon as possible.”

Barcelona also laid out the ways in which the club will help the local area during the outbreak.

These included making club facilities available to Catalonia’s Ministry of Health, launching an initiative to contact all members over the age of 80 and support them during their isolation at home and offering the Bar?a Innovation Hub to research centers.

‘Standing together’

In Germany, four top-tier football teams have joined to create a €20 million ($21.92 million) solidarity fund to help clubs in the country’s top two divisions avoid a potential financial crisis during the coronavirus pandemic.

Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayer Leverkusen will give up their share of the national media revenue, approximately €12.5 million ($13.75M), while adding an additional €7.5 million ($8.25M) from their own funds.

“We want to send a signal of solidarity to all clubs in the Bundesliga and Bundesliga 2 with this initiative,” Bayern CEO Karl Heinz Rummenigge said in a statement.

“In these difficult times, it’s important that the stronger shoulders support the weaker shoulders. With this, we also want to show that football is standing together right now.”

Additional reporting by Aleks Klosok