Football news - Gerard Pique says the four Barcelona captains will all be accepting wage cuts
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ByEurosport
Updated 16/08/2021 at 09:22 GMT
Gerard Pique insists Sergio Busquets, Sergio Roberto, Jordi Alba will all be agreeing to pay cuts. Barcelona's dire financial situation has seen Lionel Messi depart for Paris Saint-Germain, but even the club's highest paid player leaving has not been enough to see Barca fall in line with the league's spending restrictions.
Gerard Pique
Image credit: Getty Images
Gerard Pique says Barcelona's other three club captains will agree to a wage cut so that the club can register all their players for the La Liga season.
Pique says he agreed to a "substantially reduced" wage so that Memphis Depay, Eric Garcia and Rey Manaj could be registered for the new season and that Sergio Busquets, Sergi Roberto and Jordi Alba will be doing the same.
"[The pay cut] is what I had to do, I think," he told Movistar in Barcelona's 4-2 win over Real Sociedad in their opening league game, which the 34-year-old scored in.
"I want to stress that we've been in contact with the other captains over the pay cut and I know they'll take the same step shortly, it's just a question of timing.
"I had to be the first to do it quickly, because of the registration issue.
But this is a family, we're all together, the captains have all had the intention from the first moment to adjust to what the club needed, and that's the decision we've taken and we're proud of it.
Alba was booed by some supporters at the Nou Camp on Sunday following reports that the 32-year-old refused to a pay cut, but Pique says that is not the case.
"Sometimes there are misunderstandings," he said.
"I've been in touch with Sergi, Busi and Jordi, and we've all been aligned, to try to reach an agreement.
"With hours left before the league started they needed someone to make it official to be able to register the new players, but I know the others are also about to do it."
Alba himself said in the post-match press conference that he will commit his future to the club.
He said: "No one called me before Euro 2020, that's false,"
"When the club talks with me, I am willing. I'm from here, spending my whole life in Barcelona. That my commitment is questioned hurts me a lot.
"As the president hasn't spoken specifically about this yet, I suppose he will speak and he'll tell the truth.
"My lawyers have spoken to the club. Pique's was concluded first simply because of the timing but the willingness of all the captains was always as it had to be.
The lies annoy me, they tire me. I can put up with a lot, but I suffer for my family and the things they have to hear.
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