LONDON Carlos Tevez believes professional footballers at the highest level should offer to cut their wages amid the coronavirus crisis. Like the rest of the world’s elite players, Boca Juniors star Tevez is on hiatus after the domestic season in Argentina was suspended. Barcelona’s squad have all taken a 70 per cent wage cut to ensure the club can continue to operate during Spain’s state of emergency, while players such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe and Robert Lewandowski have all made donations to support charities and organisations battling the spread of Covid-19. Premier League club Newcastle United, Tottenham, Norwich City and Bournemouth have put nonplaying staff on furlough to take advantage of a scheme recently introduced by the British government, while discussions betweenthetop flight,the English Football League (EFL), League Managers Association (LMA) and Professional Footballers’Association (PFA) are continuing over whether players in England should take wage cuts. Former Manchester United and Manchester City forward Tevez has now weighed in, insisting players should be able to support themselves without being paid in full. “A footballer can live six months or a year without receiving [wages],” Tevez said on America TV in Argentina.—AP
