Issues Continue In FC Barcelona As Lionel Messi And Co Reject Proposed Pay Cut: Report

Lionel Messi and Co reportedly have rejected the proposed pay cut as FC Barcelona continue to seek ways to reduce the financial impact of the coronavirus.

According to the news reports, the players are ready to take a hit to their salaries but they are unhappy with the proposed terms, which were decided by the board members after discussing them on a video chat. The negotiations are, however, underway and Barcelona are optimistic about reaching an agreement with the players.

The wage cut will not only apply to the men’s first team but also to the club's other professional teams, including the women's first team and the basketball team, among others, as reported by ESPN. However, considering Messi and Co’s salary comprise around half of Barca’s annual budget, the focus currently is on these guys.

However, there is a particular focus on the men's team, given their salaries account for around half the club's annual budget. The players earn just over $546m per annum between them.

It is understood that Barca is owned by its members and have no investors from the outside. Hence, they fear there will be harsh consequences of the current coronavirus situation. The club is already losing out on match-day money along with the revenue that comes from the museum, which is visited by thousands every week.

Earlier it was reported that Barca captain Messi has donated $1.08m to two hospitals, one in Barcelona and the other in his native Argentina, to help them fight the pandemic virus. Other Barca players have also given to the cause, including goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who contributed part of the $2.7m given by the German national soccer team last week.

It is understood that Spain is the second-most worst affected country in Europe after Italy. The country’s health ministry Tuesday revealed that there have been approximately 3,434 deaths and in total, there are nearly 50,000 confirmed cases.