City official Rodri suggests work stoppage, expressing concern: "Money shouldn't dominate everything"
The football schedule is getting increasingly packed, prompting concerns from players' union FIFPro as early as September. Manchester City's midfield maestro Rodri is even considering a strike if the number of games continues to skyrocket. He expressed his concerns prior to City's Champions League opener against Inter Milan, stating, "If it continues like this, we have no other option."
Rodri, who participated in the European Championship in Germany, played 50 games in the 2023/24 season and 56 games in the 2022/23 season. His most recent title victory in the Champions League against Inter Milan featured 13 games from the group phase to the final. Under the new format, this would increase to 15 games without playoffs.
According to Rodri, the new Champions League format and reformed Club World Cup could lead to an overwhelming 70 to 80 games. He believes that 40 to 50 games is the max, beyond which "the level drops" due to the impossibility of playing at such a high level for an extended period.
Moreover, the increase in games means more financial gain for clubs. While UEFA initially paid around two billion euros per season to clubs, this figure will now increase to 2.467 billion euros. However, Rodri emphasizes it's not just about the money. He expressed the importance of allowing players to take breaks to maintain the quality of football, citing his teammate Manuel Akanji and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who have also voiced similar concerns. Akanji even considered retiring at 30 due to the excessive number of games.
FIFPro, the World Players' Union, initiated calls for protective measures at the beginning of September, aiming to limit travel, allow for breaks, and ensure adequate recovery to help athletes reach their full potential. One of their example-cases was Rodri's former teammate Julian Alvarez, who played in a total of 75 games for the national team and City last season, including the Copa América and Olympic tournaments. In total, Alvarez was part of 83 squads last season.
Rodri's concerns about the increased number of games were echoed by Manchester City, as the club expressed support for FIFPro's calls for protective measures. Manchester City, along with other top European clubs, are worried that the new Champions League format and the reformed Club World Cup could negatively impact player performance and well-being.
