FOUR players including Gerard Pique are said to have split the Barcelona dressing room by agreeing new deals despite a pay-cut row.
Nou Camp president Josep Maria Bartomeu reportedly angered Barca stars by calling for a 25 per cent salary reduction.
Spain centre-back Gerard Pique, 33, has reportedly irked some Barcelona team-mates by individually agreeing a new deal until 2024
Lionel Messi and Co could be set for talks with Barcelona over a collective cut in their salariesCredit: AP:Associated Press
And Marca claim defensive legend Pique, Clement Lenglet, Frenkie de Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen then damaged the squad’s defiant stand against the proposal by negotiating new contracts individually.
Bartomeu wants to curb wages during the coronavirus pandemic before making up the shortfall later in the players’ deals.
But that suggestion left club chiefs heading for urgent talks with their disgruntled players.
Pique, 33, is even thought to have been among the players who signed a letter opposing the cuts, only for him to later accept an offer to extend his stay until 2024.
The apparent feud between squad and board spiralled further straight after Tuesday’s 5-1 Champions League win over Ferencvaros.
MESSI TIMING
That was when news emerged of four stars renewing lucrative deals.
Marca say “some members of the playing squad” were unhappy at both those team-mates and Barcelona chiefs for going ahead with the personal negotiations.
The dispute overshadowed Lionel Messi’s latest piece of history-making.
Having asked to leave in the summer, before accepting he must remain until his contract expires next summer, the one-club icon netted a Champions League goal for a record-equalling 16th season.
The Argentia frontman’s penalty opener sparked a romp against visitors Ferencvaros.
Pique saw red for a second-half foul that led to the Turks’ spot-kick consolation on 70 minutes.
But Barca still added two late goals as they launched Ronald Koeman’s first European adventure as their boss in comfortable style.
FIFA 21 guesses that Barcelona’s Ansu Fati will win the Ballon d’Or in 2034
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
