The saga at Barcelona is now slowly turning into a long-running soap opera. And another latest twist has been added to the tale by the club’s board. Led by president Josep Bartomeu, the reigning issue is that they are on a mission to reduce their massive wage bill amidst a mountain of debt and as a result, financial instability. That the coronavirus has impacted football finances dearly, has only made things worse for them.
Their plan A now, however, is to issue a 30% pay-cut from most of the footballers and staff members on their roster. And if they are unwilling to do so, drag the issue to the court and solve it in a legal manner.
Logically, most players would probably object to this considering they were not the reason for an ineffective transfer strategy and incorrect decisions and calls leading to financial losses as well.
They will also argue that they are paid in line with the contracts they have signed with the club and are remunerated for the duties they perform in the matches.
Should the players not comply with these set of regulations, it is suggested that the board will go ahead and anyway impose a reduction rebate across the payment structure.
It is shocking to see one of the biggest clubs in the world take such dramatic decisions time and again. The vote of no-confidence has already been issued against Bartomeu ahead of the 2021 presidential elections. But, there have been instances which have long proven the Barcelona board’s incompetence.
First, the signings of the likes of Dembele and Coutinho for huge transfer fees as well as contract extensions with big wage rises. The treatment of Messi and Suarez this summer has also added to the ire of the club’s own supporters.
It only needs to be seen how Barcelona deal with this latest backlash, which is sure to create an uproar among the players.
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