Footballing legend Luis Figo has rubbished the idea of players striking over the heavy football calendar.
The new-look Champions League got underway this week, with the format now seeing teams play eight games in the qualification stage rather than six and potentially two more in the play-off phase.
It led to the likes of Manchester City’s Rodri and Liverpool’s Alisson slamming the fixture conjestion, with Rodri insisting that players are ‘close’ to striking over more games being added.
City could play up to 73 games in all competitons this season, with the new Club World Cup also debuting in the summer.
Figo, however, has argued that the increase in games makes sense, as he picked out one reason why players shouldn’t be complaining.
Luis Figo has rubbished the idea that players could strike over the size of the football schedule
Rodri has claimed that players are ‘close’ to taking action after more games were added to the calendar this season
‘We have to see what the best solution is,’ Figo, who played for the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Inter and Portugal, said. ‘But it’s logical that there are more and more matches.
‘It’s all like a snowball. The more matches, the bigger the contracts. If there are fewer matches, the contracts will be reduced.’
Rodri had said that players felt like they were close to having to take action themselves in the build-up to the kick off of the new campaign in Europe.
‘I think we are close to that [striking],’ he said. ‘It’s easy to understand [why].
‘Ask any player and they’d say the same. If it keeps going this way it’ll come to a moment where we have no other option. It is something that worries us.
‘I think it’s too much. Someone has to take care of us, because we are the main characters of this sport, or business, or whatever you want to call it. Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show.’
Rodri echoed Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson’s criticism of an ever-expanding calendar, while the PFA are working on legal action against FIFA due to an ‘overloaded and unworkable’ schedule.
A PFA spokesperson said on the matter: ‘In recent weeks our members have made their feelings very clear when it comes to the fixture calendar and player workload.
‘Players and their unions have asked to be listened to and to be a central part of these processes. When they are ignored then the natural consequence is that players will begin to consider all options available to them.
‘Players are repeatedly saying that enough is enough, and this must now act as a serious wake up call to the authorities.’
