MANCHESTER, England, Sept 17 (Askume) – Manchester City midfielder Rodri warned on the eve of their Champions League opener against Inter Milan on Tuesday that players could face a strike if they play as many games as possible.
The expansion of the UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup formats, as well as the expansion of national team competitions, has given top teams and players more opportunities to compete, and Rodri has said in the latest interview that the workload is enormous.
“I think we are close,” Rodri told reporters. “It is the general feeling among the players, if this continues we will have no choice. I really think it worries us. We are the ones suffering.”
The Spaniard said the optimal number of games “for players to perform at their highest level” is between 40 and 50 games.
“Then you say no because you can’t maintain your physical level,” he said. “This year, we’re going to be playing 70, maybe 80 (games), depending on how competitive you are.
“I think that’s too much. We have to take care of ourselves because we are the protagonists of this sport or business. It’s not all about the money or the marketing, it’s also about the quality of the show. When I rest, when I’m not tired, I perform better and if people want to see better football we need a break.
The 28-year-old’s campaign last season lasted until Spain won the European Cup on July 14 and he joined Manchester City teammates Kyle Walker and Phil Foden at the European Championship with England.
Manchester City defender Manuel Akanji recently half-jokingly suggested he might retire at the age of 30 due to his busy schedule.
“It’s very difficult,” the Swiss player said. “You have to think not only about this season but also about next season. Let’s say we win the league or the cup and then reach the Club World Cup final; the Community Shield is three weeks later. So when can we participate? Holiday? “
Manchester City will host Inter Milan in the 2023 UEFA Champions League Final, which the English side won as part of their first treble. It is one of eight first-leg games, a potential play-off tie, before the last 16 games begin.
Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said his strategy for the new format was to “win the first game, then win the next game and then we’ll see.”
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland could overtake Cristiano Ronaldo as the fastest player to reach 100 goals for a single club, with 99 goals in 103 games in all competitions, including nine goals in four league games this season.
Ronaldo scored 100 goals in 105 matches for Real Madrid.
“I played for 11 years and scored 11 goals. This guy (Haaland) scored nine goals in four games,” Guardiola said with a smile.
“Opponents will find solutions (to stop Norway) and we have to find solutions, find ways to beat them.”
Rodri said Haaland’s impressive start to the season perfectly illustrates the importance of rest. Since Norway failed to qualify for Euro 2024, the forward spent most of the summer rested.
Meanwhile, the new 32-team Club World Cup in the United States will end on July 13, almost a month before the next Premier League season begins, before moving on to the 2026 World Cup.
