Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos has expressed displeasure over some clubs demanding pay cuts from players and coaches in a bid mitigate their finances during the coronavirus crisis. Instead, the 30-year-old German international has advised teams to pay wages in full to enable them to perform their social responsibility in assisting the affected.
With football suspended across all of Europe's top league as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, clubs are facing economic hardships due to the absence of revenue. In Spain, a host of La Liga clubs, including Barcelona and Atletico Madrid, reached agreements with players to lower their wages by 70 percent for as long as the crisis persists.
Nevertheless, Real Madrid remains one of the few clubs in Europe to have not resorted to that compromise. Los Blancos are yet to take any drastic measures as their financial position has allowed them to fund the wages of all their employees.
According to Toni Kroos, that is the only way to go to ensure that players and coaches alike contribute donate to good causes during these times.
"Waiving salary is like a donation in vain, or to the club," the German midfielder told the SWR Sports podcast.
"It should be an option for everyone to consider. I think it's even better to get the full salary and then do the right thing with it.
"I don't think it's necessary here [at Real Madrid]," he added.
"The other thing is the question of what I do with all the money I get. We must all help where help is needed. And there are a lot of places where help is needed right now."
Regarding the effects of the enforced break on football, Kross said: "Many clubs already don't have the income they planned to have, and there are many clubs who need that money.
"It all depends on how long everything will standstill. Quite a few clubs will be able to keep their heads above water for a certain time, others will have difficulties.
"If football returns in May, you'll find solutions, also with grants, and everything will be normal," he added.
"But if you say no football until the winter, I can imagine a couple of clubs will be no more and that would automatically drastically change football."
