Barcelona confirm wage cuts announced by Lionel Messi and say reduction will be over 70 per cent for first team

Barcelona have confirmed the wage cuts announced by Lionel Messi and his team-mates on Monday and have revealed that the squad will see their salaries reduced by 'over 70 per cent' during the enforced break in action due to coronavirus.

Messi and every other member of the first-team squad posted a statement on their social media channels saying they had accepted the ERTE, which had been announced by Barca on Thursday night, and seemingly criticised the club's board for doubting their intentions.

Barca released a statement of their own after that, thanking the players for the gesture, which will allow the club's non-sporting staff to continue earning as normal amid the Covid-19 shutdown.

"The FC Barcelona Board of Directors, the members of all of the professional sports teams and most of the basketball team have reached an agreement for a reduction in their salaries during the period of the state of alarm due to Covid-19," it read.

"In the case of the football first team, the reduction will be over 70 per cent of that originally agreed with the club. This additional contribution by the team, together with the contribution that the club itself shall make, will guarantee 100% of the salaries of all non-sporting staff at the club, which will be submitted for ERTE (temporary redundancy) this week.

"The club wishes to express its gratitude to all of the professional athletes for their implication in such an exceptional situation that has been caused by this health crisis."