Coronavirus: Gladbach players offer to forego salaries to help pay staff
Borussia Monchengladbach players have offered to forego their salaries to help the club play its staff during the coronavirus crisis.
The Bundesliga, like the majority of leagues across the globe, is suspended due to the outbreak of COVID-19.
A return date of April 2 appears optimistic at best and several teams face a conundrum to tackle cash-flow issues, with revenue streams from home matches, and potentially sponsorship, lost.
In a bid to ensure the club can continue to pay staff, Gladbach's players have come forward with a generous proposal.
"I didn't have to explain much [to the players]," Gladbach's sporting director Max Eberl said in an interview with the club's official website.
"The players know what's going on. It's their job, they have already informed themselves and thought about it.
"The team has offered to forego salary if it can help the club and its employees."
Asked if it was a proposal the club was planning to respond to, Eberl replied: "Yes. I am very proud of the boys.
"It is a clear signal: We stand together for Borussia, in good times and in bad. They want to give something back to Borussia and therefore also to all the fans who support us.
"The coaching staff joined in, just like our directors and managing directors."
There have been 13,632 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Germany, with 33 people having died.
Gladbach are fourth in the Bundesliga, six points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.