Barcelona players have agreed a 70 per cent pay cut amid the growing coronavirus crisis – and Lionel Messi took a thinly veiled swipe at Nou Camp bigwigs in a statement.
The Catalan superstars wanted to ensure all non-sporting staff receive their full wages.
And in a telling reference to the Barca hierarchy he added: “It does not cease to surprise 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.
Barca’s directors and most of the basketball team have also agreed to cut their salaries.
The La Liga outfit aren’t the only European giants to slash players’ wages.
Juventus players – and boss Maurizio Sarri – have agreed to freeze their pay for four months.
“Juventus would like to thank the players and the coach for their commitment at a difficult time for everyone,” said a statement by the club.
Bundesliga sides Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund have also agreed to take similar measures.
Premier League action, meanwhile, won’t resume until April 30 at the earliest.
John Barnes – who was a member of the Liverpool side that triumphed in the league 20 years ago – told Starsport that the season must be finished.
“It’s was never just about Liverpool,” the former striker explained.
“What about West Brom and Leeds in the Championship who could get promoted back to the Premier League?
“You need to continue the season for however long it takes, even if you forgo the 2020/21 season.
“Let’s be honest, we could still be playing up until the end of this year.”
