Paris, France | AFP | Wednesday 3/26/2020 – 06:46 UTC+8
Union Berlin players on Wednesday said they will forego their wages in an effort to help the Bundesliga club ride out the coronavirus storm.
Six days after fellow top-flight side Borussia Moenchenglandbach waived their salaries, Union followed suit.
Club management and other employees have agreed to short-time working arrangements, which will also result in salary cuts, said a statement.
“These are exceptional circumstances we have to deal with,” said club president Dirk Zingler.
“Our club’s purpose is football. If it ceases to exist, then it will touch the core of our existence.
“The management, our staff, the squad and backroom staff have worked hard in recent months to ensure success in the Bundesliga.
“Now they are giving up a lot of money to get through this crisis together.”
Like all German sides, Union and Gladbach are set to lose income from broadcasting, sponsorships and ticket sales during the COVID-19 outbreak with all Bundesliga matches suspended until at least April 2.
On Tuesday, Bayern Munich and Dortmund players sais they would accept a cut in wages.
So far, the coronavirus has claimed 149 lives in Germany.
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© Agence France-Presse
Cover image: Union Berlin’s Danish forward Marcus Ingvartsen celebrates scoring the opening goal with his teammates during the German Cup (DFB Pokal) quarter-final football match Bayer Leverkusen v Union Berlin in Leverkusen, western Germany on March 4, 2020. (Photo by SASCHA SCHUERMANN / AFP)