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Barcelona, the world’s richest football club, cut player and staff wages due to coronavirus crisis

REUTERS
REUTERS

Barcelona, the world's richest football club, will reduce player and staff wages amid the coronavirus crisis.

A statement from the club cited the need to "minimise the economic impact" caused by the Covid-19 outbreak.

The LaLiga giants were recently ranked in top spot in Deloitte’s Football Money League for the first time after becoming the first club to break the €800million barrier with revenue of €840.8m (£726m).

Spanish football was suspended for an indefinite period earlier this month, with a resumption only taking place once the government and health bodies are satisfied there is no longer a risk to public health.

With no sport possible and the subsequent effect on income streams, Barcelona announced on Thursday night they would be implementing measures in an attempt to reduce the economic impact of the crisis.

Among the measures decided by the club's board was "adapting the contractual obligations of the club staff to the new and temporary circumstances that we are experiencing".

Barca say that, as the working day has been reduced by the coronavirus, then salaries will be proportionally reduced.

A club statement read: "It is about the presentation of the different relative files in the sporting field (football and other professional sports), as well as for the rest of the non-sporting personnel.

"These files will be processed before the Treball Department of the Generalitat de Catalunya, once the club has shared all aspects related to these measures, and their scope, with all its staff, both sporting and non-sporting.

"Basically it is a reduction of the working day, imposed by the circumstances and the protection measures carried out, and, as a consequence, the proportional reduction of the remuneration provided for in the respective contracts."

The reigning LaLiga champions, who were two points clear at the top of the table when the suspension came in, also announced ways in which they were looking to help combat the impact of coronavirus.

They include making the club's facilities available to the local health department, and contacting and helping supporters over the age of 80 who have been affected by the crisis.

Additional reporting by the Press Association

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