download All Football App

Barcelona players respond to the board: We're not going to tolerate the club infringing our rights

  /  autty

The internal war between Barcelona's leadership and the players continues, with the squad responding to the club's request for them to lower their salaries with a letter which explained that they wouldn't tolerate the Blaugrana infringing upon their rights.

There is a clear feeling of anger amongst the players at the Josep Maria Bartomeu administration's approach to ensuring they take a pay cut during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

With the four captains at the helm of the group which includes Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets and Sergi Roberto, the squad has described the club's attitude as embarrassing, as made clear in a letter sent to the hierarchy at the Camp Nou.

El Mundo has revealed the contents of the aforementioned letter, with the players refusing to be bullied into a certain position.

"We're not going to tolerate Barcelona infringing on our rights with the arguments they made in their message," the letter read.

"They consider the only way to achieve the goal of reducing costs is through the joint actions of all groups and sections of the club.

"Yet, at the same time they recognise, entering into a clear contradiction, that some of the said groups and sections have already made the economic adjustments that they want."

The players' letter insists that the squad is united on this point, despite the fact that Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Clement Lenglet, Frenkie de Jong and Pique all signed new contracts in recent days.

This something that has caused people to suggest there is division in the ranks, although their letter indicates the exact opposite.

Whilst these off-pitch matters continue to rumble on, Ronald Koeman must ensure his squad is focused on the task in hand ahead of Saturday's Clasico against a Real Madrid side who were beaten in the Champions League and their last LaLiga Santander match.

The opportunity for the Blaugrana to take a vital three points in the LaLiga Santander title race is there, especially if everyone is pulling in the same direction.

Related: BarcelonaPique