Madrid, May 17:

Levante’s players began an indefinite strike on Saturday over unpaid wages amounting to a reported $28 million.

The action, which follows the failure of Friday’s last-ditch negotiations with Valencia city hall and the Spanish league, jeopardises the relegated team’s final league game of the season on Sunday at champions Real Madrid. Levante coach Jose Angel Moreno said his team will travel to Madrid in the hope that the players receive sufficient guarantees to abandon their strike.

The players, who have reportedly only received 20 per cent of their salaries of the past two seasons, cancelled a two-day stoppage last month after appearing to reach a solution. They also recently staged a brief protest by standing motionless on the field when their league game against Deportivo La Coruna kicked off.

On Friday, Madrid put back Sunday’s kickoff an hour due to doubts over whether the game would take place. An alternative plan to stage a friendly has reportedly been dropped due to opposition from Madrid players.