Barça’s Salary Strategy: Injuries as an Unintended Cost Cutting Measure
No one at FC Barcelona takes pleasure in the team’s ongoing string of injuries. Quite the opposite, as these physical setbacks have hampered Xavi’s squad, taking a toll on their performance. However, amidst the negative impact, there’s a silver lining—albeit of smaller proportions.
Under the leadership of Mateu Alemany and Jordi Cruyff in the technical department, a specific clause in the contracts of new or renewed players was altered. Previously, the variable part of a player’s salary, contingent on their participation throughout the season, required playing at least 45 minutes in a minimum percentage of matches, typically around 60%. However, this rule only applied to matches where the player was available. Games missed due to injury or suspension didn’t factor in.
This scenario led to peculiar situations where a player could start in two matches, get injured afterward, be absent for the entire season, yet still receive those variable payments. This was because their percentage of matches played was 100% in this hypothetical case—two out of two.
Amid the ongoing battle to reduce the team’s wage bill, Alemany chose to modify this clause for new signings or renewals, penalizing injuries or suspensions in the calculation of a player’s participation. Over the last two seasons, this change has translated into a modest salary saving for the club, given the numerous injuries that have prevented many players from meeting the stipulated 60% participation threshold.
In recent times, a player who starts for three months but then sustains a season-ending injury finds it impossible to reach the prescribed 60% of matches played. This means the club saves a considerable amount in participation-related payments, a scenario that didn’t exist previously.
Over the last two seasons, several players, including Raphinha, Sergi Roberto, Íñigo, Gavi, and Balde, are unable to qualify for this variable part of their salary due to long-term injuries. For example, Pedri would need a very high level of participation from now until the end of the season to secure this bonus, representing an estimated salary saving of around 10 million euros.
