Piqué released his pay slip to refute false speculation

FC Barcelona and some players are furious after the media published a report that said that several key footballers are accruing increasingly high salaries. Including Gerard Piqué, who has vigorously refuted these false claims.

Gerard Piqué along with Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba were the three players who received the most criticism. In fact, they should have been paid much more than what is actually stated. The information was published on Thursday by journalist Lluis Canut on TV3. In an evening programme, he revealed the wage levels of each Barcelona player.

The information, which looked like a big bombshell, turns out to be one big lie. According to it, Piqué was supposed to receive a salary of 28 million euros, followed by Busquets with 23 million euros and Umtiti and Alba, who were supposed to receive 20 million euros a year.

Moreover, the club has now officially denied the whole accusation. As has the Catalan veteran, who publicly posted a picture of his pay slip on his Twitter account. From his online banking, we can see the fact that his basic six-month salary is around €2.3 million net. This is because Barcelona players receive their salary in half-yearly intervals.

“People like Canut only abuse the space on public television to defend their acquaintances. Here is 50 percent of my [basic] salary paid on December 30. Have some respect,” Piqué wrote on Twitter.

Barcelona’s statement on the whole situation

Barcelona as a club also released a statement denying the figures presented by Canute. In relation to the comments made by Lluis Canute on TV3, Barcelona would like to clarify the following, which the statement reads.

1. The club has in no way provided information on the salaries of certain first team players and the origin [of any leak] is unknown.

2. In any case, the amounts given in the information are incorrect and do not correspond to reality. In addition, in the case of the first three players mentioned [Pique, Busquets and Alba], it states fixed amounts which, as amounts, are based on variables and will probably never be reached.

3. It is also untrue that the aforementioned players merely deferred their salary. Pique, Busquets and Alba gave up part of their salaries when they signed contract extensions last summer.

We consider this to be inappropriate, unprofessional and that [Canut] acted in bad faith when he offered this information as true. We regret that this type of information is being provided because it violates the personal rights of players and they deserve it when the information is truthful and credible.

Source: Marca and FC Barcelona