ANKARA

Barcelona's professional athletes, including football players, will cut their wages to pay for the salaries of non-sporting staff at the Spanish club amid the financial impact of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

"The FC Barcelona Board of Directors, the members of all of the professional sports teams and most of the basketball team have reached an agreement for a reduction in their salaries during the period of the state of alarm due to COVID-19," said the club in a statement on Monday.

"In the case of the football first team, the reduction will be over 70% of that originally agreed with the club. This additional contribution by the team, together with the contribution that the club itself shall make, will guarantee 100% of the salaries of all non-sporting staff at the club," they added.

Spain is one of the most affected countries by coronavirus, with 7,340 deaths among confirmed cases of nearly 85,200.

The virus, which emerged in Wuhan, China last December, has spread to at least 177 countries and regions around the globe, while over 35,000 people have died, and confirmed cases hit 741,000.

In all, 156,800 people diagnosed with the virus have recovered from the disease.