Here's How Much Pay Cut Messi And Co Will Face Next Season due to the coronavirus outbreak

The coronavirus is working its way through society and a number of high profile footballers are among those to have tested positive. The virus has wrought havoc across the world and, unsurprisingly, football has not escaped the effects of the outbreak. Leagues and competitions everywhere have been forced to postpone games, while Euro 2020 has now become Euro 2021 as European governments battle to slow the spread.

Lionel Messi and others could face a 30% pay cut as La Liga giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid reportedly are planning to extend the wage drop to next season.

While Real players agreed to 10-20% pay cut since March amid the financial impact on the club due to the coronavirus outbreak, Messi and the other first-team Barcelona players accepted a 70% salary cut to help out the club in these crisis times.

It is understood that now Barcelona and Real Madrid are negotiating with the European Club Association over more salary cut and both the squads have been prepared to accept lesser pays for another year.

Messi alone is paid $613K per week as Barcelona had started the season with Spanish soccer’s top wage bill of $716 million. According to a report by The Sun, if the Catalans went ahead with the salary slashing for another year, they would manage to save around $249 million.

La Liga is looking to restart by mid-June behind closed doors and it is understood that they would continue to play without fans until next year. The report further stated that in order to reduce the emotional effect of having no fans in the stands, both Real and Barca have decided to switch from their huge stadiums to 6,000-capacity venues.

Real, who are currently placed second in the La Liga table, could be playing at Alfredo Di Stefano stadium and not at their home ground of Santiago Bernabeu. Meanwhile, reigning champions Barcelona are considering playing at the Johan Cruyff Stadium instead of the Nou Camp.