Injuries Fuel the Looming Threat of Strike Due to Match Overload: "It's a Matter of Common Sense"

The lament of Rodri on the Etihad Stadium pitch after tearing the cruciate ligament in his right knee brought everyone's mind back to the words the Manchester City player had said days earlier about the saturated schedule, which forces them to play more matches in less time. The European champion with Spain is one of the voices threatening a strike, which has found support among many other football stars. "All injuries are related to the number of matches played by the players. The more you run and play, the worse it is. National teams want to win, and so do clubs. This is not going to change. What needs to be done is to adapt the rules and schedules. Something must be done to adapt to the current situation. They need to distribute the hours that players play," recently stated Dr. Pedro L. Ripoll, a leading figure in traumatology.

In eight of the last nine top-flight matches, there have been up to 15 injured players, the most severe being Ter Stegen, Barcelona's starting goalkeeper and captain, who ruptured his patellar tendon in an action against Villarreal. There have been more than 50 physical problems since the start of the season in Spain. "There are players who are exhausted; they don't stop traveling; it's a matter of common sense," said David Aganzo, president of the Spanish Footballers' Association, in a radio interview, defending, as he should, the role of players. The former striker shares the latest voices from athletes suggesting a historic stoppage. "It is a right that workers have; in Spain, it's easier but internationally we would all have to agree and see which competition to stop. They want what's best for football and for the show to be balanced between economic aspects and rest. "The schedule makes no sense," added Real Madrid's full-back Dani Carvajal.

Football tends to wear out. While players and coaches continue their barrage of complaints about the saturated schedule and demand solutions, they see their grievances fall on deaf ears while the revolutionary format of the new Champions League and Club World Cup or Nations League stirs up dust in a season that could have nearly 80 matches. Three days of Champions League with six matches each night, three league matches from different rounds, before and after, all before a weekend with up to ten matches until next Monday. Days that show how tight the football calendar is, which started with domestic competition in mid-August, during a summer of Euro Cup and Paris Olympics. "Football needs reflection. The goal is to try to play fewer matches and thus avoid injuries. Players have no problem lowering their salaries if they play less," said Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti recently, who not long ago complained that "LaLiga, the Federation, FIFA, UEFA...each thinks about their own interests, and those who should matter most—the players—are overlooked."

"The problem is that UEFA and FIFA create extra matches. They don't care about us; money speaks for them," said Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne weeks ago, shortly before injuring his groin—a setback that will keep him off the field indefinitely. For Maheta Molango, CEO of England's Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), the key lies in players stepping up: "The most important players have taken responsibility. And they have a powerful voice. The English union will go as far as players want us to go." "If we continue like this, we will destroy the football industry," added David Terrier, president of France's union and Fifpro's European section.

A few days ago, the International Federation of Professional Footballers' Associations (FIFPro) denounced that "some players enjoy only 12% of the calendar year as free time—less than one full day off per week—contravening international Occupational Health and Safety standards." According to this union's study, "54% of the 1,500 players analyzed in last season's study faced an excessive or high workload—defined by experts as 55 or more matches per year—with a significant number exceeding recommended limits." "We need to reduce matches," said Barça coach Hansi Flick recently.

The same report cites examples like Julián Álvarez, Atlético de Madrid's new signing who played up to 75 matches last season between City and Argentina's national team or Phil Foden who played 72 matches between his club (also City) and England's national team—the same as Colombian Luis Díaz or Uruguayan Darwin Núñez—all at Liverpool. Another 'red' like Dutchman Cody Gakpo or Aston Villa player John McGinn—Scotland's tireless engine—or Madrid midfielder Fede Valverde reached 71 matches. "Perhaps for the first time many voices are speaking up for players. If something changes it will be because of them. This business can exist without executives without sporting directors without media without owners but without players? Without them it can't be played," supported Pep Guardiola.