Premier League players on the verge of strike over fixture list

The strike talks come after a number of players – including City defender Manuel Akanji and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker – expressed concern about the extra workload placed on top players.

The executive director of the English players’ union, Maheta Molango, also said that those responsible for football should “sit up and take note of their comments”.

City are one of the clubs facing a busy season as they compete in the revamped Champions League and an expanded Club World Cup next summer.

Rodri, winner of the 2024 European Championship and one of the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or, agrees that the scheduling issue is a major problem.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has said that EPL players are on the verge of a strike. (Image: Martin Rickett/PA)

Premier League players are on the verge of a strike and this is the ‘general opinion’

When asked if players would strike or refuse to play due to the hectic schedule, Rodri replied during a press conference on Tuesday (September 17): “I think we are close. I think if you ask any player they will say the same thing.”

“That’s not the opinion of Rodri or anyone else. I think it’s the general opinion of the players.”

“And if it stays like this, the moment will come when we have no other choice, I really believe, but let’s wait and see.

“I don’t know what will happen, but it worries us because we are the ones who suffer.”

New schedule is “too much”

Rodri was speaking ahead of City’s Champions League opening match against Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday (September 18).

Manchester City is just one of the EPL teams that has a busy season ahead of them. (Image: Martin Rickett/PA) For City, the game is a first taste of the event’s new league phase – a 36-team competition in which all teams will play eight unique matches.

That is two more than in the old group stage, while the teams ranked ninth to 24th will play an additional home and away play-off game.

This means City, who took part in the Community Shield in August, could potentially play 75 games this season.

For players in international football it can be even more difficult.

Rodri said: “In my experience, the number of games in which a player can perform at his best is between 40 and 50.

“After that, you let up because it’s impossible to maintain your physical level.

“This year we can get to 70, maybe 80. I don’t know, it depends on how far you get in the competitions.

“In my humble opinion, this is too much. I think we need to take care of ourselves.

“Someone has to look after us because we are the protagonists of this sport or business or whatever you want to call it.

“It’s not just about money or marketing – it’s also about the quality of the show.

“When I’m not tired, I perform better and if people want to see better football, we need to rest.”

Football calendar ‘doesn’t work’, says PFA CEO

The Professional Footballers’ Association is involved in two separate legal disputes with world football’s governing body FIFA over the match calendar.

Unions and national leagues widely cite the introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup as a “turning point” for legal action.

Responding to Rodri’s comments on Tuesday, PFA chief executive Molango said: “The impact of fixture density and increasing workload on players is no longer a problem that is yet to come. It is already here.”

“This is the year we can look at the calendar and say clearly: ‘This is not working’. The players see that and are experiencing it now.

“They are becoming more and more vocal about their feelings but, as I said, this is no longer just a player problem – it is a problem for everyone in football.”

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“As unions, we are already taking legal action to address this and players are now speaking openly about the options available to them to force change.

“They want to be listened to and those who control the game need to sit up and take notice.”

FIFA did not respond directly to Rodri’s comments, but had previously voiced strong criticism of the alleged “self-interest” and “hypocrisy” that could be behind the incident.