10/22/2020 10:35 AM
Clarín.com
sports
Updated 10/22/2020 10:35 AM
The health crisis due to the new coronavirus pandemic led to an economic crisis from which not even the most powerful clubs in the world are spared.
Wrapped in a serious leadership situation, resentful after the Lionel Messi burofax scandal, Barcelona asked their players if wages would not be lowered.
While Gerard Piqué agreed to collect 50% of this season's salary when he renewed a few days ago,
six players refused, including Leo
.
In a season marked by the
reduction of 30% of income
due to the pandemic, Barsa offered an agreement in which the reduction would be returned in the coming seasons.
After the win against Ferencvaros in the debut of the Champions League, then, the leaders announced the renewals of Ter Stegen (2025), Lenglet (2026), De Jong (2026) and Piqué (2024).
As it became known later, through the Catalan newspaper
Sport
, Piqué asked "what would be the percentage that they needed him to lower himself in order to help more".
The answer was 50% and the defender accepted.
On the other hand, with Lenglet, Ter Stegen and De Jong a 30% was agreed.
On the other hand,
Mundo Deportivo
, the other sports medium in Catalonia, reported this Thursday that six players did not accept that proposal:
Messi, Sergi Roberto, Busquets, Alba, Coutinho, Dembélé and Griezmann
, who first said yes, an agreement was reached with his lawyer and then, two weeks ago,
he repented
and backed off.
With Messi, the matter seemed on track in July, when a verbal agreement had been reached to adapt his salary to the impact of the covid-19.
But then came Bayern Munich's 8-2 in Lisbon and the burofax to seek a free exit from the team.
That situation strained the relationship and caused the captain to remain with the same conditions as last season.
Messi remains firm with his stance not to lower his salary.
Photo: Reuters
Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto, the other captains with Piqué, had their conversations in August but both refused to accept the club's request.
"And since then the agent of both, Josep Maria Orobitg, has not maintained more contact with those responsible for FC Barcelona," they clarified in Mundo Deportivo.
Alba, Coutinho, Dembélé and Griezmann also refused to extend their contract to compensate for the reduction in income this season, with the Frenchman being the most curious case because in the last hours the media indicated that the salary had been lowered, something that finally did not happen.
It is estimated that the crisis linked to the coronavirus caused the club
a loss of 97 million euros
to Barcelona.
For this reason, according to the Catalan newspaper, "the club could rethink these renewals for the players with whom it has not reached an agreement as of next November 5", so there could be news in the coming weeks.
MFV
Look also
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There will be less money at stake in the Champions League and in the Europa League because of the coronavirus
