Rodri’s injury is a warning amid calls for a change in players’ workload

MANCHESTER, England: A week after Rodri threatened strike action over increasing workloads, the Manchester City midfielder faces a long injury layoff – a cruel twist of fate that has further fuelled debate about players’ welfare amid an intense schedule.

Former players and coaches such as Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher, Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag have also recently joined the growing chorus calling for change.

Former Arsenal striker Henry said players had lost their joy in the game, while former Liverpool defender Carragher said they were being treated like cattle.

The players’ power to do something about it is waning, says Mark O’Sullivan, associate professor of football at the Norwegian School of Sport Science.

“The whole game is being undermined and FIFA and UEFA are only targeting the consumer. They are squeezing the last drop out of the globalised lemon and demeaning the welfare of the players,” O’Sullivan said in an interview with Reuters.

“There are many serious questions surrounding the erosion of players’ freedom of action and the long-term implications of forcing players to prioritise short-term performance over their long-term wellbeing.”

Rodri, 28, who suffered knee ligament damage in City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal in the Premier League on Sunday, had said the optimal number of games per season in which a player can perform at the highest level is between 40 and 50.

This season, some players could make up to 80 appearances due to the expanded formats of the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup, as well as expanded national team competitions.

The United States will host the first edition of the new 32-team FIFA Club World Cup from June 15 to July 13 next year.

“Nobody wants to play there, nobody is excited about it,” former England international Carragher recently told CBS.

“The best players in the world are treated like cattle,” he added.

Last year, global players’ union FIFPRO warned of the dangers facing young talent, comparing the workload of current big names such as Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe with that of former top players.

By the age of 18, Mbappe had already played more than twice as many competitive matches as Henry. At 19, Bellingham was subjected to an extremely heavy workload compared to players of the same age as fellow English greats Wayne Rooney and David Beckham.

Mbappe suffered a muscle injury this week, his club Real Madrid announced on Wednesday, casting doubt on his participation in this weekend’s derby against Atletico Madrid. His teammate Bellingham recently returned to action after a month out with a muscle injury.

LONG-TERM CONCERNS

While the football world celebrates teenage star Lamine Yamal, O’Sullivan says there should be more concern for his long-term well-being. The 17-year-old played 50 games in all competitions for Barcelona last season and then helped Spain win Euro 2024.

“He’s a kid and he’s played 60 games, his body is still growing, the body needs energy to grow, you need energy to play sport and you give it your all,” O’Sullivan said.

The missed games at the Catalan club due to long-term injuries to young players such as Pedri, Ansu Fati and Pablo Gavi are a warning, he added.

“And if we just go ahead and say, ‘We have better recovery. We have new innovations in recovery,’ then we’re just putting a Band-Aid on a tumor,” O’Sullivan said.

Former French striker Henry said the players’ fatigue would be clearly noticeable at Euro 2024.

“I don’t want (Harry) Kane to get tired at a European Championship, I don’t want (Jude) Bellingham to get tired at a European Championship. I don’t want Rodri to lose balls that he normally never loses,” Henry said.

The mental recovery amidst a busy schedule is just as exhausting as the physical strain, he added, saying: “I see players who sometimes play without enjoying the game.”