Rodri warns players are ‘close’ to striking over increasing number of fixtures

A number of players – including City defender Manuel Akanji and Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker – have expressed concern about the additional workload facing elite players in recent days, and the chief executive of the English players’ union, Maheta Molango, has said those running the game must “sit up and take notice” of their comments.

Euro 2024 winner Rodri, one of the leading contenders for this year’s Ballon d’Or award, agrees the issue is a major concern.

Asked if players could ever strike or refuse to play, the influential Spain international said at a press conference: “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.”

Rodri was speaking ahead of City’s Champions League opener against Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday.

The match will be City’s first taste of the event’s new league phase – a 36-team competition in which all teams will play eight unique fixtures.

That is an increase of two on the old group stage, while teams finishing in positions nine to 24 will play an additional two-legged play-off tie.

That means City, having featured in the Community Shield in August, could potentially play 75 matches this season. Players featuring in international football could face even more.

Rodri, who made his first appearance of the season in Saturday’s defeat of 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.”

The Professional Footballers’ Association is involved in two separate legal challenges to the sport’s global governing body FIFA over the fixture calendar, with its introduction of a 32-team Club World Cup widely described by unions and domestic leagues as a “tipping point” in prompting the actions through the legal system.

Responding to Rodri’s remarks on Tuesday, PFA chief executive Molango 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.”

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.

The global governing body said in July: “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.”

One player who looks to have benefited from a rest over the summer is City striker Erling Haaland, who has already scored nine goals after just four Premier League games.

Rodri feels the Norwegian’s form illustrates his point.

He said: “Maybe he is a good example. He had a long break because his country didn’t qualify for the Euros.

“You see you how he is performing right now and he is turning into that beast we saw in the early days.”

City’s clash with Inter is a repeat of the 2023 final, in which Rodri scored the winning goal.

He said: “We were watching the game yesterday because they haven’t changed much and it was great to see.

“It was a great time but now life goes on. They are tough to beat and we will need our best performance.”