Last updated on .From the section European Football

Roma have not played since 1 March

Roma chief executive Guido Fienga has praised his players’ “superb gesture” after they volunteered to forgo four months’ salary to help the club during the coronavirus pandemic.

The players, manager Paulo Fonseca and his staff will also pay the difference to ensure all club staff placed on furlough receive their full salary.

Led by captain Edin Dzeko, the team and Fonseca approached Roma's hierarchy.

“We always talk about unity at Roma,” said Fienga.

“In volunteering to cut their salaries for the rest of the season, the players, the coach and his staff, have all proved that we really are in this together.

“Edin Dzeko, all the players and Paulo have demonstrated they understand what this club stands for and we also thank them all for their superb gesture towards the employees at this club.”

Roma have not played since 1 March, just days before the Serie A season was postponed.

In a letter to Fienga, the players said: “We players are ready to start playing as soon as possible, giving the maximum to achieve our goals, but we also realise that all this will not be enough to face the economic consequences of the current emergency.

“With the hope of doing something that will help the company to better restart the Roma project that we all share, we offer this financial proposal.”

Italy currently has the highest death toll from coronavirus in Europe, with more than 23,000 confirmed deaths.