- Rodri worried about playing too many games
- Man City star concerned for his health
- Fears heightened over new prolonged stoppage time
WHAT HAPPENED? Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester United’s Raphael Varane have shared their concerns about playing too many games over the course of a season. The recent concerns come in light of competitions around the world being instructed to more accurately calculate time lost to stoppages this season, including goal celebrations and VAR checks. Now City star Rodri, who played 56 games last season during their treble-winning campaign, is worried about the overcrowded football schedule and that it could have a negative impact on his health.
WHAT THEY SAID: When asked if he felt he got enough rest this summer, he said: “To be honest, I never get enough rest. I feel pretty well recovered after having about one month off. It was a good break, and we have a coach who understands and who gives us everything he can to recover.
“I think we are the last team in the Premier League to start pre-season because he understands that rest is important. So, yes, I’m very happy about last season and how it finished, and now we go into another season, and it’s going to be a long one.”
The Spaniard added: “I don’t remember exactly the games I played, but I had a talk with the club and the coach because starting 57 or 59 games and playing in 60 or something is not healthy.
“You can do it for one season, but when it’s two or three in a row, it can be worse for the team because your physicality can drop. So I have to watch out. We have already spoken that it cannot always be like this. But last year, on the other hand, I had the feeling that we were fighting for everything, and I had to push my body to the limit.
“That’s why I sometimes feel bad at the end of the season – but for me, it was great. The important thing for me is that they know the situation and they know that for the next few seasons we will have to watch out.
“Now I am young, but maybe when I get to 30 or 31 I cannot do this kind of thing, so I have to watch the body because 60 games is not the best thing for a player. Also, the seasons get even longer every year. We have to adapt to this.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: More and more top players are speaking out about an over congested fixture list. This could potentially shorten the careers of many footballers and have knock-on effects later in life. This is not helped by the World Cup expanding to 48 teams from 32 and plans to increase the number of sides playing in European competitions, too. However, that brings in more revenue for tournament organisers and that needs to be considered in this whole topic.
