levante's financial status worsened, however, and there were reports that the players had only received approximately one-fifth of their contractual payments. news reports stated that the club had incurred a debt of over €18 million in payments due to its players. the team plummeted down the standings, and it was confirmed that the club would be playing in the second division in 2008–09, with several matches to go. the players protested at their lack of payments at one point, refusing to move for several seconds after the opening whistle against deportivo and later announcing that they would issue a job action during the season-ending game at real madrid. the action was resolved when league officials announced that a benefit game would be played between levante team members, and a team made up of players from the first division, with all benefits going to pay the wages due to the players.