MANCHESTER, England – Rodri, a Manchester City midfielder, claims that top soccer players are considering going on strike due to the number of games they must play.
The Spain international stated that players are concerned about the direction the game is taking as more games are added to the calendar in events such as the Champions League, which begins on Tuesday.
Rodri was questioned on Tuesday if players will start refusing to play due to the calendar.
“I think we are close to that,” he said during a news conference ahead of City’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Wednesday. “It’s easy to understand. If you ask any player, he will tell you the same thing; it is not simply Rodri’s or anyone else’s opinion. I believe it is the overall opinion of the players.
Man City’s Rodri Says Top Soccer Players Close To Going On Strike Because There Are Too Many Games
“If things continue as they are, I believe we will be left with no other option. It disturbs us since we are the ones who suffer.
Rodri is poised to start his first game for City this season when Inter visits Etihad Stadium after the club gave him a lengthy sabbatical following Spain’s European Championship victory in July.
City has two more games in the Champions League’s first stage, as well as up to seven more in the Club World Cup, which will be held in the United States at the end of the domestic season.
FIFA’s establishment of a 32-team Club World Cup, which will be played every four years, is viewed by the worldwide players’ union FIFPRO as a watershed moment in the expansion of international competitions. The union has filed a legal action against FIFA over its expanded competitions, which include the first 48-team men’s World Cup in 2026, claiming that too much is being expected of players without input.
According to Rodri, players can expect to “perform at the highest level” if they play 40-50 games. Not 60 to 70 matches, which Rodri may have to play if City performs well in all tournaments.
Julian Alvarez, who played for City the previous two seasons before joining Atletico Madrid, was named to 83 matchday teams last season. Phil Foden, another City player, made 72 appearances.
“In my humble opinion, I think it is too much,” she remarked. “We need to take care of ourselves. Someone must take care of ourselves because we are the key characters in, say, this sport or business.
“Not everything is about money or marketing. It’s also about the quality of the show. In my opinion, when I rest and am not weary, I perform better. “If people want to see better football, we must rest.”
Man City’s Rodri Says Top Soccer Players Close To Going On Strike Because There Are Too Many Games
According to Rodri, teammate Erling Haaland is illustrating how a player might benefit from extra rest.
Norway failed not qualify for Euro 2024, so Haaland took the summer off, and he has started this season by scoring nine goals in City’s first four games.
“It gives you an idea why we ask for this,” Rodri explained.
SOURCE | AP
