Manchester City midfielder Rodri has stated that players are nearing the point of going on strike in response to the increasing number of games.
City will face Inter Milan on Wednesday in the Champions League, where the new format adds at least two extra matches before the knockout stage begins.
Additionally, the Club World Cup, in which Pep Guardiola’s team will also participate, has expanded to 32 teams and is set to take place next summer.
“I think we are close to that,” Rodri remarked when asked about the possibility of a players’ strike.
“It’s easy to understand the general sentiment; any player would echo the same thoughts. If things continue like this, we may have no choice, but let’s wait and see.”
The revamped Champions League and Club World Cup formats mean that City will have at least four more matches compared to last season’s guaranteed fixtures.
They only played two games to secure the Club World Cup title in December, but next summer, they would need to compete in three group matches and four knockout games if they were to progress all the way.
Over the past two full seasons, City has played 120 matches across all competitions.
Fifpro, the union representing top European leagues and global players, has recently indicated that legal action against FIFA regarding the increased game schedule is now “inevitable,” a stance supported by the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA).
Spanish midfielder Rodri played 63 times for club and country last season, helping his team secure both the Premier League and the European Championship within two months.
He missed City’s first three matches of the current season but returned for their 2-1 victory over Brentford on Saturday, just six days after playing for Spain in their 4-1 win over Switzerland in the UEFA Nations League.
After such a lengthy 2023-24 season, which began competitively on August 6, 2023, and concluded 343 days later on July 14, Rodri expressed the need for a longer break than he was initially granted.
“It was great for my legs and for me; I had one month, but I still needed some recovery—so two months to rest and prepare myself is essential,” Rodri explained.
“This is increasingly important today. It helps me significantly. When pre-season starts, I watch but try to disconnect, and mental health is crucial in that regard. It’s important to refresh and move forward.”
Rodri’s remarks followed closely behind comments from Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who also criticized the changes to the schedule.
City defender Manuel Akanji recently suggested that due to the packed schedule, he might have to retire at 30 because of the lack of breaks during the season.
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has mentioned that the club is considering giving players holidays during the season to address the growing number of fixtures.
In July, Fifpro announced plans to take legal action against FIFA over its “abuse of dominance” in football.
Fifpro’s statement read: “FIFA’s decisions in recent years have consistently favoured its own competitions and commercial interests, neglecting its responsibilities as a governing body and harming the economic interests of national leagues and player welfare.
“Legal action is now the only responsible step for European leagues and player unions to protect football, its ecosystem, and its workforce.”
The PFA echoed these sentiments, stating in May that players were reaching a breaking point.
“Legal action is the unfortunate but inevitable outcome of major stakeholders within the game—the leagues and the players—being ignored,” said chief executive Maheta Molango.
“As has always been the case, players are expected to bend. As we have seen, they will eventually break. This needs to stop.”
While Rodri suggested that a players’ strike could be “close,” the question remains whether one will actually occur.
A spokesperson from the PFA indicated that if players continue to be disregarded, they will “begin to consider all options available to them.”
“In recent weeks, our members have clearly expressed their concerns regarding the fixture calendar and player workload.
“Players are repeatedly stating that enough is enough, and this should serve as a serious wake-up call to the authorities.”
Last week, La Liga president Javier Tebas commented on the increased schedule, stating that although the number of games has risen for players, not enough are affected by the changes to justify such backlash.
“We typically consider the 150 or 200 players who participate in every match. However, in Europe, there are over 50,000 players who do not play all those games and do not face issues with match load,” Tebas told BBC Sport.
“Football cannot be governed by the experiences of just 250 players; it must consider the broader picture. Furthermore, these new tournaments could economically drain national leagues and adversely affect the salaries of other players due to reduced club revenues.”
While there is limited history of players striking in elite sports, a notable instance occurred in 1961 when Jimmy Hill campaigned to abolish the maximum wage cap for footballers. After threatening strike action, the Football Association eliminated the then £20-a-week wage limit.
