Coronavirus in sport: Xavi agrees for pay cut

Bengaluru/Doha, April 20: Barcelona legend and Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez has joined the ever-swelling list of footballers and managers in taking a pay cut in the battle against the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

Though the exact figure is not known, it is presumed that Xavi has agreed for a 40 per cent pay cut, according to reports in Spain's AS daily.

It may be recalled that the Spanish 2010 World Cup-winner and his wife Nuria Cunillera had recenty donated $1.08m to Barcelona's Hospital Clinic to help the fight against the coronavirus which has been declared as a pandemic by the World Health Organisation.

Coronavirus in sport: Xavi donates generously to Barcelona clinic

Xavi is not not the only one at Al Sadd as well in Qatar Stars League (QSL) who have agreed for pay cut, just like in major leagues across the world.

#AlSadd head coach Xavi takes a pay cut to support the fight against #COVID19 in Qatar pic.twitter.com/yZKAbNJDkW

— AlSadd S.C | نادي السد (@AlsaddSC) April 19, 2020

Qatar's national team and Al Sadd captain Hassan Al Haydos, 2018 Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year Abdelkarim Hassan, and defender Bassem al Rawi, who plies his trade with Al Duhail in the QSL, have also decided to forego a part of their salary in the battle against the pandemic.

Xavi had joined former AFC Champions League winners Al Sadd as a player initially before taking over as manager at the beginning of this season after getting his approved coaching licence.

He arrived at Al Sadd after a nearly two-decade trophy-laden career at the Camp Nou, where he won almost everything.

The 40-year-old joins his Lionel Messi and Pep Guardiola, among the Barcelona stars to have donated or led fundraising campaigns to help combat the deadly virus which has claimed many deaths across the globe and has virtually put a temporary stop to the world's sports calendar.