The excesses of UEFA and FIFA are causing chaos and distress for Nagelsmann
Football is raking in massive earnings. It's being exploited to its maximum potential. FIFA and UEFA are reaping the benefits by augmenting their competitions further and making them more prominent. More, more, constantly more is the motto. However, this isn't the ideal scenario. Players have been voicing their concerns for months, and their predictions are coming true. The burden has surpassed the acceptable limit. Players like Rodri from Manchester City were among the most vocal critics, suffering a cruciate ligament tear and likely missing this season. The list of long-term injuries goes on.
This weekend, the cries of distress from Dani Carvajal echoed through Real Madrid. The right-back also suffered a cruciate ligament tear and will be out for an extended period. According to coach Carlo Ancelotti, the players are "disappointed and anxious because this frequent occurrence is due to the packed schedule." It's rare for a weekend to pass without some unfortunate news. And at present, the national team coach is particularly affected by this. Julian Nagelsmann will be without goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen, midfielder Jamal Musiala, Kai Havertz, Niclas Füllkrug, and Robin Koch for the upcoming international matches. Ter Stegen's injury is severe, while the others are expected to recover soon.
Within the player circle, a united front has emerged against the excessive schedule madness. "I'd be lying if I said I enjoy training more than matches," stated Jonathan Tah, the Leverkusen national player, on behalf of many others. However, "at some point, it needs to be reassessed. We need to figure out how to maintain performance with so many games." It's a topic that cannot be ignored. The more games there are, the more injuries will occur. Rodri had estimated, prior to his cruciate ligament injury, that with the new Champions League format and the revamped Club World Cup, he would play around 70 to 80 games. "40 to 50 games" he considered the maximum, stating that beyond that, the performance drops or the susceptibility to injury increases.
Contrarily, the Swiss institute CIES published a study indicating that there's no substantial evidence suggesting an increased workload on players. According to the study, for the 50 best players based on total playing time each season, "the trend in the last three seasons compared to any three-year cycle since 1999/2000 shows a further decrease." However, the escalating number of games is coinciding with the upsurge in injuries. France is currently without Dayot Upamecano, and England is concerned about Harry Kane. Bayern Munich is currently grappling with challenges.
The case of Koch highlights the dilemma
The national coach is having to improvise, calling up players like Janis Blaswich, Jamie Leweling, Jonathan Burkhardt, and Kevin Schade, who weren't initially on his radar. Within two years, the coach aims to lead the German national team to the World Championship in the USA, Mexico, and Canada, using all the games to build new hierarchies and confidence. However, he's already having to operate on an emergency basis during the second phase of the international matches following the EM. He's having to improvise. This kind of scenario shouldn't occur in the national team; it ought to be a thing of the past.
Not every current injury can be attributed to player overload. But many can, as the body and mind rarely get any time off for recovery. The schedule has reached absurd dimensions, and it's only becoming more chaotic. Bloated Europa leagues, Club World Cups, massive World Cups, and the Nations League are exhausting key players, compelling them to continue playing. Like Robin Koch's situation illustrates. "It was agreed in the medical meeting that Robin wouldn't be able to play three games this week. But he insisted on playing against Bayern after his appearances against Kiel and Besiktas," Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller explained after the match on Sunday.
Where is this leading? An increasing number of injured players is not the solution. Smaller clubs, like 1. FC Heidenheim, are unable to maintain large enough squads to avoid quality loss in all competitions. Even for clubs like Bayern Munich, it might become unsustainable. Unlike other international powerhouses relying on seemingly endless funds from oligarchs, sheikhs, or state funds, she may not be able to continue at this rate. In the Euroleague, the packed schedule has forced some teams to field two separate squads - one for domestic league games and another for international competitions. It's an insane scenario, a tangible reality for the national team coach at present.
Despite the study from CIES suggesting no significant increase in player workload, the escalating number of games is correlating with an alarming rise in injuries. Players like Dani Carvajal from Real Madrid and Rodri from Manchester City are among the many voicing their concerns, with Rodri estimating he would play around 70 to 80 games under the new Champions League format and Club World Cup, which he considers beyond his limit. This issue is particularly evident in the national team, with coaches like Julian Nagelsmann dealing with a plethora of absences due to injuries.
