Man City star Rodri warns players are 'close' to striking over increased fixtures this season
Manchester City star Rodri warned of a possible players strike just as the new look Champions League kicked off, as ITV News' correspondent John Ray reports
Manchester City midfielder Rodri has suggested that footballers could strike over increased fixture congestion.
The Spanish footballer was speaking at a press conference ahead of City's first new-look Champions League match and expanded Club World Cup next summer.
Asked if players could ever strike or refuse to play, the Spanish footballer and Ballon d'Or nominee said: “I think we are close to that. I think if you ask any player he will say the same.
“It is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. I think it’s the general opinion of the players.
“And if it keeps this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, I really think, but let’s see.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen but it’s something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer.”
A number of players, including Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker and City defender Manuel Akanji, have expressed concerns over the additional workload facing elite players this season.
Maheta Molango, CEO of the Professional Footballers' Association, said the issue is a major concern and that those running the game must "sit up and take notice".
He said: “The impact of fixture congestion and increasing player workload is no longer a problem that’s coming down the line. It’s already here.
"This is the year when we can look at the calendar and say clearly ‘this doesn’t work’.
“Players see that, and they are now experiencing it. They’re making their feelings increasingly clear but, as I’ve said before, this is no longer just a player problem - this is a problem for everyone in football.
“As unions, we are already taking legal action to challenge this and players are now openly talking about what options are available to them to force change.
“They want to be listened to, and those who run the game must now sit up and take notice.”
City's first taste of the new Champions League format comes on Wednesday at the Etihad Stadium against Inter Milan.
The new league phase will see 36 teams compete in eight unique fixtures, an increase of two from the old group stage, with teams finishing in position nine to 24 playing a two-legged play-off tie.
This means City, who featured in the community shield in August, could potentially play up to 75 matches this season, with players in international teams playing even more.
Rodri, who made his first appearance of the season in Saturday’s win against Brentford, said: “From my experience between 40-50 is the amount of games in which a player can perform in the highest level.
“After that you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level.
“This year we can go to 70, maybe 80. I don’t know, it depends how far you go in the competitions.
“In my humble opinion I think it is too much. I think we have to take care of ourselves. Someone has to take care of ourselves because we are the main characters of this sport or business or whatever you want to call it.
“Not everything is money or marketing – it is also the quality of the show.
“When I am not tired I perform better and if the people want to see a better football, we need to rest.”
FIFA did not respond directly to Rodri’s comments, but has previously hit out at the “self-interest” and “hypocrisy” it claims is at play.
In July, the global governing body said: “Some leagues in Europe – themselves competition organisers and regulators – are acting with commercial self-interest, hypocrisy, and without consideration to everyone else in the world.
“Those leagues apparently prefer a calendar filled with friendlies and summer tours, often involving extensive global travel.”
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