The board of directors of FC Barcelona intends that three of its four captains – Busquets, Piqué and Alba – accept another modification of their contracts, the fourth since 2020, so that the wage bill of 560 million euros goes to 400 million. More than a "lever", this is called a snip or an ax blow. A cut man...
May God distribute luck!
Between the inheritance, the middling signings and the cold shower of realism, Joan Laporta faces an economic management that surpasses him –as it would surpass many managers– and to which, on occasions, he tries to apply great-aunt remedies, with apparent innocence. Does the president really trust that some employees, surrounded by agents, advisers and soul friends, are going to accept another contractual modification and even less a substantial reduction? Or is it to divert attention and throw the team captains into the cage of beasts?
Naturally, this FC Barcelona squad charges well above what it pays, which does not exempt the company from paying what has been agreed with its workers (well, said in labor terms). They may be called mercenaries, peseteros or profiteers but none of the four has failed to fulfill their obligations and, as a bonus, they continue to be less expendable than it might seem in view of the DNI. If Piqué and Ramos would still be playing for the Spanish team, given what was seen in this party called the League of Nations!
Lower your salary so that Lewandowski, 34 years old, can collect it in August? It doesn't seem like a convincing argument (for a striker, as has happened to Luis Suárez this season, the years can turn his legs into lead from night to day). The aforementioned footballers are not responsible for the fact that FC Barcelona signed their contracts, all smiling, so long-term, in full drunkenness of success and when the income seemed to have no ceiling. Now it's time to squeeze...
Naturally, the parish will consider that if the captains love Barça they should play for free, as Messi's Laporta came to insinuate, in another pitch to the courtyard of the lions. But no one will be able to say that they have been incompetent and have not defended the Barça shirt well on the pitch. And it's been many years...
Respecting the signed contracts is not a matter of DNA but a legal and moral obligation of any club, company or fan club. Patience, put together a competitive team –the quarry has given the surprise– and then look for “levers”, a euphemism like any other. To point to the captains, alas, is to call for discord.
