Top Bundesliga club stars take pay cut
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Footballers at Germany’s top teams, including Bayern Munich, have agreed to take pay cuts to help clubs survive the economic impact of the novel coronavirus, media reports said yesterday.
Newspaper Bild reports that players and club officials at champion Bayern, top of the Bundesliga when the season was halted on March 13, have accepted a 20 percent cut in their salaries.
Like all top European leagues, the German top flight is losing income from broadcasting, sponsorships and ticket sales during the COVID-19 pandemic, with matches in Germany suspended until at least April 2.
Bayern has a massive wage bill which hit 336 million euros (US$364 million) last year, almost half of its turnover.
Players at Borussia Moenchengladbach were the first to propose a pay cut, followed by others at Werder Bremen and Schalke 04. Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen players are in talks over pay cut proposals with management.
At Dortmund — second in the Bundesliga — coach Lucien Favre has made a personal offer to take a pay cut while players are negotiating a 20 percent salary reduction if the season does not restart or a 10 percent cut if play resumes behind closed doors, when clubs will at least earn income from TV rights.
Elsewhere, UEFA formally postponed the Champions League final on Monday — an inevitable move with European soccer in total shutdown and four Round of 16 games yet to be completed.
The final was scheduled for May 30 in Istanbul before the pandemic forced the four remaining second-leg games on March 17-18 to be delayed indefinitely.
UEFA said no decision has yet been made on finding a new date.
The shutdown has no end in sight though UEFA and European soccer leaders said last week they hope to complete the club season by June 30.
The 2020 European Championship for national teams was postponed for one year to clear space in the fixture calendar for clubs to win titles in domestic leagues and cups, and UEFA’s competitions.
Europa League frozen
UEFA said the Europa League final, due on May 27 in Gdansk, Poland, and the Women’s Champions League final, scheduled for May 24 in Vienna, Austria, were also postponed.
The Europa League is also frozen at the Round of 16 stage, with six of the eight first-leg games played.
The Women’s Champions League was about to start the quarterfinals stage.
Meanwhile, Australian soccer’s A-League suspended its season indefinitely, bringing an end to all professional football competitions in Australia and New Zealand until the pandemic passes.
Football Federation Australia Chief Executive James Johnson announced the decision yesterday, saying the latest measures imposed by the federal government made it impossible for the A-League to continue. The league had only a few regular-season rounds remaining before the playoffs. Johnson said the postponement will be reviewed on April 22.
“As a national competition played in all parts of Australia, as well as New Zealand, mission complicated became mission impossible,” Johnson said.
Newcastle’s 2-1 win over Melbourne City in an empty stadium on Monday night was the last game completed. Sydney FC led the standings with 48 points after 20 games, eight points ahead of Melbourne City, which has played 23 games. Wellington Phoenix was in third place with 36 points from 20 games.
Johnson remained optimistic the season could resume but said the postponement likely was “heartbreaking” for players, clubs and fans. All soccer in Australia from community to professional level has now been halted.
The decision allows the Wellington Phoenix players and coaching staff to return home before New Zealand goes into lockdown. Players and staff from the New Zealand-based club have spent more than a week in quarantine at a Sydney hotel in a bid to complete the season after each country imposed mandatory 14-day isolation for all arriving travelers.
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