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Lionel Messi said Monday that he and his FC Barcelona teammates would take a 70 percent pay cut due to the financial circumstances the club is facing because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Messi made the announcement in a lengthy statement on social media. He also dismissed the rumors that first-team players were not willing at first to lower their wages to help other club employees.
CRISTIANO RONALDO, TEAMMATES AGREE TO PAY CUTS AMID ITALY’S CORONAVIRUS OUTBREAK TO HELP JUVENTUS
“For our part, the time has come to announce that, aside from the 70% reduction of our salary during this state of emergency, we will also make contributions so that the club's employees can collect one hundred percent of their salary as long as this situation lasts,” Messi wrote in a statement.
“We resisted speaking until now because our priority was to find real solutions to help the club, but also those who were going to be more affected by this situation.
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“We do not want to say goodbye without sending an affectionate greeting and a lot of strength to all the culers who are experiencing hardships during these very difficult times, as well as to all those who patiently await the end of this crisis in their homes. Very soon we are going to get out of this and we will all do it together. Visca Barça and Visca Catalunya.”
Messi said an agreement was delayed because the team was “looking for a formula” to help the club and workers. He said they always wanted to help out the club, despite the rumors of getting handcuffed to do so.
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La Liga and Champions League matches were suspended due to the coronavirus outbreak. According to the World Health Organization, at least 72,200 coronavirus cases have been reported in Spain with at least 5,600 deaths as of Monday.