Players “close” to strike according to Rodri, protests are being organised to denounce an increasingly overloaded calendar

In recent days, many players in professional football have alerted the various authorities about the infernal pace of work imposed on players, particularly those involved in European Cups and national teams.

“Yes, I think we are close.”Asked on Tuesday, September 17, about the possibility of seeing the players join forces and organize a strike to protest the overloaded schedule, linked in particular to the new format of the Champions League, the response of Rodri, Manchester City midfielder, was direct.

“If it continues like this, at some point we will have no other choice. But I don’t know what will happen. In any case, it is something that worries us, because we are the ones who are suffering.”declared the Spanish international at a press conference, on the eve of the match between the English club and Inter Milan on the first day of C1.

The new format of the most prestigious European competition provides for eight matches and no longer six before the knockout phase. The calendar, which will be further complicated by the Club World Cup next summer – 32 teams, including 12 European teams, for a month of tournament – ​​therefore risks being unsustainable, according to the European champion. In 2023-2024, he has already played nearly sixty matches in 2023-2024, club and national team combined.

In recent days, he is not the only player to have spoken out about his concerns about the increase in the number of matches. At the beginning of September, another Manchester City player, Kevin De Bruyne, went further in his criticism: “We know that in 2025, there will be only three weeks between the Club World Cup final and the first day of the Premier League. You have three weeks to take a holiday and prepare to play another 80 matches (…) The problem is that UEFA and FIFA are playing extra matches and we can try to say something, no solution has been found. They don’t care. It’s money that talks.”

“We have to take care of ourselves, we are the main characters of this sport, or this business, whatever you call it. If people want to see better football, we have to be able to rest. The more games we play, the lower the level and quality.”

Rodri, Manchester City midfielder

at a press conference

The Belgian and the Spaniard were joined last week by French international Dayot Upamecano. “Of course, there are too many games, confirmed the Bayern Munich defender at a press conference before the Blues’ victory against the Red Devils (2-0). It’s going to be complicated to play a good game (…) I hope they’ll understand one day. This overloaded schedule brings injuries everywhere. On our side, we lost two players during this gathering [Loïc Badé et Warren Zaïre-Emery]. If it doesn’t calm down, there will be more injuries.”

Even Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti, when questioned by The Teamexpressed his reservations, in particular regarding this new format of the Champions League: “The problem is that the calendar is becoming much too busy and demanding (…) If the football leaders, who set up this kind of competition, do not start to understand that players get injured because they play too much, it is problematic.”

Before challenging Girona on Wednesday evening with PSG (9 p.m.), the Parisian captain, Marquinhos, also wanted to get a message across at a press conference: “We do what we love, so we’ll never say no to a match and to such a great competition. But these are additional matches, a busy schedule. If you add the selection, the trips, matches every three days… It really adds up. We’re not the experts on the schedule, but it’s important to know what the players think (…) We’re going to have to sit down between players and decision-makers.”to find solutions.

Earlier this month, the world football union FIFPro called for protective measures for players who are under excessive workload in an ever-increasing schedule.