- UEFA changed the format for the Champions League and other competitions, adding two games to the new “league phase”.
- Players are criticizing UEFA for adding more fixtures to the calendar, in play for both club and country.
- Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri claims players are close to calling for a strike.
If you’re playing soccer at the highest level, you’re playing more games than ever before. Between the number of club and international competitions, players can take part in 80 games or more.
Players are starting to reach their breaking point, and some big names have come out in criticism of the increased fixture list. Rodri and Alisson have stated in recent interviews that most players aren’t fans of the congested scheduled, and Rodri has gone so far to say that players could look to strike.
Players Claiming More Games Lead to More Injuries
An ESPN report revealed on Tuesday, September 17 that Rodri believes that players could be close to calling for a strike.
When asked, the Manchester City and Spain midfielder said:
"I think we are close to that, it is easy to understand. I think it's something general. I think if you ask any player he will say the same, it is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever.
I think it's the general opinion of the players. And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, I really think but let's see.
I don't know what's going to happen, but it's something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer."
Rodri, who is near the top of the Ballon d’Or odds after being named the Best Player in Spain’s winning Euro 2024 campaign, is an interesting case. As one of the best players in the world, Rodri is counted on to play plenty of games. The Euro 2024 final was on July 14, 2024. He played his first game on September 9 for Spain in a 4-1 win over Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League.
Then, Rodri came on as a sub in Manchester City’s 2-1 win over Brentford on September 14. He’ll likely now be playing more regularly for City, who is at the top of the list for the Champions League odds this season. They’re also going for their fifth straight EPL title, and playing in the Club World Cup.
The reason Rodri believes players could strike, is injury. When asked how many games players should play, he said:
"I don't have an exact number. From my experience, I can tell you that 60-70 [games a season]? No. Between 40 or 50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform at the highest level. After that, you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level."
Another ESPN article from November 2023 states that players are playing more minutes than ever, and it leads to more muscular injuries due to being overworked. It does also mention, however, that teams can now give more minutes to other players.
Liverpool and Brazil goalkeeper Alisson has also spoken out as Liverpool kicked off their Champions League campaign with a 3-1 win at AC Milan on Wednesday. He said:
“Nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion does not matter. But everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody is tired of that. But we have to stay focused on the big challenge we have here."
Will Players Actually Strike?
Now, teams could choose to give their top players more rest. However, Manchester City is one of the Champions League best bets, so they’ll play Rodri in every game they can.
Will a strike actually happen? Probably not. An article from The Athletic lays out all the obstacles as various players’ unions would have to be involved. The leagues and associations, such as UEFA, FIFA, and the domestic leagues, would also want to take a look. It’s not the same process as in North American sports, where all four major leagues have had lockouts or strikes at one point or another.
However, The Athletic report reveals that two unions, the English Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) and the Union Nationale des Footballeurs Professionnels in France are taking a stand. They’re suing FIFA for changing the international fixture list without consulting the players.
A strike probably won’t happen any time soon. But players are preparing to dig their heels in, as they look to make player safety a priority.
