Lionel Messi ‘losing patience’ with Barcelona as Argentine launches stinging attack at board over wage cuts

LIONEL MESSI is “losing patience” with Barcelona and directed another attack at the board.

The club captain, 32, was among the first-team players to release a statement on Monday to confirm the squad are taking 70 per cent pay cuts.

Reuters

The reduction in wages is to help ensure the rest of the club’s staff can continue to be paid as normal during the coronavirus crisis, with all football suspended for the foreseeable future.

But the European press, especially in Spain, insist Messi is unhappy with the way operations are being run higher up at Barcelona.

Messi and his team-mates insisted they would have taken the pay cut, regardless of extra pressure applied by the board.

In the statement to announce the news, they said: “Then there is the latest drama, concerning a pay cut to help the club tackle the loss of income associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

“It doesn’t surprise us that the club wanted to put us back under the microscope and try to pressure us into doing something we were always going to do.

“If the agreement has been delayed in the last few days, it’s simply because we were finding a formula to help the club and also our employees in such difficult times.”

The statement added: “The time has come to announce that, aside from the reduction of 70 per cent of our salary during the state of emergency, we will also make contributions so that the club’s employees can collect 100 percent of their salaries while this situation lasts.

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“Our desire has always been to take a pay cut, because we understand perfectly that this is an exceptional situation.”

The Barcelona board have confirmed that directors and the basketball side will be joining in the temporary reduction as Spain struggles to cope with the effects of Covid-19.

However, this is not the first time Messi has publicly criticised the Nou Camp chiefs this season.

In February, he hit out at ex-defender and director of football Eric Abidal over comments regarding some players’ commitment and effort around the time of Ernesto Valverde’s sacking.

The Argentine said: “I think that when talking about players, names should be given.

“Because if not then we are tarred with comments that are said and are not true.”

Messi also said he found it “strange” that the club were forced to deny claims they paid a PR firm to attack star players including the Argentine icon.

It was suggested that Barcelona worked alongside I3 Ventures to damage the image of Messi, Gerard Pique, former players and potential presidents.

The tensions between the six-time Ballon d’Or winner and Barcelona has led to suggestions he could leave the club he has spent his whole career with.

He has a clause in his contract which enables him to terminate his Barca contract unilaterally at the end of any given season.

Messi is currently in lockdown at home with his family, no doubt honing his skills on his practice pitch at the isolated property which also boasts a swimming pool and an indoor gym.

He shared a photo with his children on Instagram and also had a go at the Stay At Home challenge – unsurprisingly making keepy-uppies with loo roll look ridiculously straightforward.

Club legends Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Carles Puyol all had something similar but there is a growing fear Messi may exercise the option this summer, a year before his current contract runs out.

Elsewhere, Pique hit out at the lack of pre-season, Carles Alena was frustrated no-one consulted him before handing over his No21 shirt to Frenkie de Jong and Arturo Vidal complained he did not receive a bonus he felt he was due.

Also, Ivan Rakitic is unhappy with the way his contract is being dealt with – his deal expires in 2021 and they are no closer to agreeing an extension – meanwhile the Croatian Sergio Busquests have both criticised the small squad size.

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk