Lionel Messi has confirmed that Barcelona's players will be taking a pay cut but he has also hit out at the club's board in a statement released today.
The players at the club will take a 70% pay cut during the coronavirus pandemic and they will also make contributions to ensure that non-sporting staff at the Camp Nou receive their full wages.
Spain has been hit hard by COVID-19 and La Liga is currently suspended indefinitely.
The club captain confirmed the news in an Instagram post on Monday before having a go at the club's bosses.
"A lot been written and said about the FC Barcelona soccer first team in what refers to the salaries of the players during this State of Alarm period," reads Messi's statement.
"First of all, we want to clarify that our intent has always been to apply a drop in the salary that we receive, because we fully understand that this is an exceptional situation and we are always the first to have helped the club when asked."
"Many times we have even done it on our own initiative, at other times that we thought [it was] necessary or important.
"For this reason it never ceases to amaze 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."
The Barcelona players have received some criticism for the length of time they have taken to announce their acceptance of salary cuts.
Messi points out in his statement that the discussions with the club's top brass were not solely about their wages.
"In fact, if the agreement has been delayed for a few days, it is simply because we were looking for a formula to help the club and also its workers in these difficult times," Messi explained.
"On our part, the time has come to announce that, apart from the reduction of 70% of our salaries during the State of Alarm, we will also make contributions so that the club's employees can collect 100% of their salaries while this situation lasts.
"If we did not speak until now, it was [not only] because the priority for us was to find real solutions to help the club, but also [to help] those who were most affected by this situation."
He finishes with a message of solidarity for the supporters of the Catalan giants.
"We don’t want to say goodbye without sending an affectionate greeting and a lot of strength to all the culers who are having a hard time in these very difficult times, as well as all those who patiently await the end of this crisis at home.
"Very soon we will get out of this and we will all do it together. Visca Barça and visca Catalunya!"
