Barcelona

Luis Suarez denies Barcelona players refused to take pay cut

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 03 April 2020

Suarez denies Barca players refused pay cut

Luis Suarez denies suggestions that the Barcelona first-team squad refused to take a pay cut as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Luis Suarez has dismissed claims that the Barcelona first-team squad refused to take a pay cut to help the club during the coronavirus pandemic.

Although Lionel Messi revealed earlier this week that the senior players at Camp Nou had reduced their wages by 70%, it has been claimed that they were initially against making a financial loss during the ongoing outbreak.

However, Suarez has moved to clarify the situation, insisting that there were no objections when Messi put the idea forward to the rest of his teammates.

Speaking to Sport890, the Uruguayan said: "A lot of hurtful things have been said about the squad's salary cuts. People have said that the players didn't want to accept them, then it was said that players from other areas of the club had reached an agreement, when the reality is that we were waiting to try and find the best solution for the club."

"It hurts when people say things like that because we were always the first people that wanted to reach an agreement, as we know what the club's situation is. No player in the squad refused a wage cut. A mutual agreement was reached between the players and the club. The captains spoke to the president and nobody refused it."

Atletico Madrid have followed suit in recent days by announcing plans to work under the same reduction.