Before the first day of the Champions League, the Spaniard Rodri spoke at a press conference to criticize the overabundance of matches. Could a social movement emerge in the face of the proliferation of matches?I think we are close to it.” he retorted. “If you ask any player, they will tell you this. This is a general opinion among players, it is not just my opinion.“.
Kevin de Bruyne is among many other players to have come forward. If “UEFA and FIFA don’t care“as he liked to point out, he also explains that meetings have already taken place between the players and the various authorities. In vain, because”“It’s only money that matters”according to KDB.
“Players will have no other choice”continues the Spanish world champion, who played 64 games last season. But can a player go on strike like any other employee? There is no regulation preventing it, and the right to demonstrate is guaranteed and protected by numerous texts. On the one hand, this right is enshrined in the Convention on Human Rights, and in the European Social Charter, which specifies that “All EU Member States have signed the 1948 Convention on Freedom of Association and Protection of the Right to Organise, issued by the International Labour Organisation. A text explicitly mentioning and guaranteeing the right of employees to strike“. Despite his special status, a footballer can therefore participate in a social movement.
Former French international, Morgan Schneiderlin spoke on the same subject to our colleagues at RMC.The clubs, their interest is not the health of the players. It is economic health.“, he continued. Words that strongly resemble the criticisms expressed by KDB, and still as relevant today. Except that the former Mancunian fears another problem. He believes that if the players “start to protest“, this is not in the interest of the club.”Rodri said: ‘we might go on strike’. He’s going to go to the club and the club is going to tell him: ‘you go on strike, we’ll lose 20% of our income if you don’t play so many games. Give us your contract and we’ll take 20% off you’. It’s going to be a difficult journey“, he anticipates.
In an environment where money is more than anywhere else the sinews of war, social movements could lead to discussions never before seen in the professional world.
A first complaint, and progress within the clubs
Some solutions already seem to be being put in place to avoid a strike movement, consequently leading to the suspension of several competitions and therefore a loss of money for the dominant bodies.
“If people want to see better football, we need to be able to rest”Rodri continued. A solution that should reach the ears of many coaches, and consequently make them breathe more regularly their protégés. And so much the worse for the show. “The more matches there are, the more the level and quality decreases.”
Are there really more matches than before? No for the big clubs, yes for others
At another press conference, Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi explained that he was “aware that there are a lot of matches.” An opinion followed by his colleague and compatriot Carlo Ancelotti. Winner of the Champions League last season, Real had an XXL season, but was not spared from injuries.If the organizers who decide do not imagine that the players will get injured because they play too much, then we have a problem.“, warned the Italian coach.
Recently, Fifpro (International Federation of Professional Footballers’ Associations) filed a complaint with the High Court of Brussels against FIFA. The players’ union wishes to contest in particular “the legality of FIFA’s decisions to unilaterally set the schedule of international matches“. It also targets the new format of the Club World Cup.
