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Friday, April 03, 2020, 11:48
Atletico cut players' wages to safeguard employees' pay
By Reuters
Friday, April 03, 2020, 11:48 By Reuters

In this March 11, 2020 photo, Atletico Madrid's players pose before the UEFA Champions league Round of 16 second leg football match between Liverpool and Atletico Madrid at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England. (JAVIER SORIANO / AFP)

MADRID - Atletico Madrid have temporarily cut players’ and coaches’ wages by 70 percent in order to cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic, but guaranteed a full salary for their other employees, the Spanish club said on Thursday.

Atletico Madrid's move follows that of La Liga rivals Barcelona, whose players agreed to an extra pay cut in addition to a club-imposed 70 percent reduction while football is on hold

The move follows that of La Liga rivals Barcelona, whose players agreed to an extra pay cut in addition to a club-imposed 70 percent reduction while football is on hold, in order to ensure non-playing staff earned their full salaries.

Those decisions contrast with several Premier League clubs such as Tottenham Hotspur, Norwich City and Newcastle United, who have faced criticism for cutting the wages of staff during the pause in matches, while making no reduction to players’ often multi-million-pound salaries.

ALSO READ: Barca president tries to calm conflict with players over pay cut

Bundesliga clubs including Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Moenchengladbach, Schalke 04 and Hoffenheim have also imposed pay cuts on players in order to adjust to their fall in income while there are no matches.

Italian champions Juventus last week announced a compensation reduction for the remaining part of the season equal to four months’ pay.

Atletico’s statement said it had requested the temporary pay cut, referred to in Spain as an ERTE, in order to “safeguard the economic viability of the club” and guarantee its future.

The 70 percent reduction will affect the first team as well as the women’s side and reserve outfit.

READ MORE: Liverpool sunk by Atletico extra-time triple

The statement added that the first team squad had agreed to supplement one half of the 430 employees affected by the ERTE, with directors and the CEO paying for the other half.

Spain is the second worst-affected country behind Italy in Europe by the virus and on Thursday the death toll rose above 10,000 after a record 950 people died overnight.

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