The chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) said players were concerned about an overcrowded fixture schedule and had warned International Football Association (FIFA) they were prepared to strike, while international players’ union FIFPRO is leading a joint legal action with several European leagues, including La Liga and the Premier League.
Two days before the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund in London, the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and the PFA met to consider measures to counter FIFA’s intention to increase the number of games footballers will have to endure next season because of the looming new Club World Cup.
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PFA chief executive Maheta Molango, who has been calling for reforms since February, believes players are at breaking point and says football’s hectic schedule is endangering players’ health and diminishing the quality of the sport.
“I went into the locker room less than 10 days ago that was directly affected and said, ‘I’m happy to come in and bark a little bit, but ultimately it’s up to you. How far do you want to go?'” Molango said Thursday.
“Some of them said: ‘We can’t do this, we might as well go on strike.’ Others said: ‘What’s the point? Yes, I’m a billionaire, but I don’t even have time to spend money.'”
In recent years, the expansion of tournaments and the emergence of new competitions have placed greater demands on players, with players and coaches saying there are too many matches on the schedule.
“It was not the union that said that, it was Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola. We have reached a stage where we cannot rule out any action,” Molango said.
The world football players’ association FIFPRO, along with the PFA and the World League Association (WLA), continue to threaten legal action if FIFA does not change its policy.
In a letter to FIFA president Gianni Infantino and secretary general Mattias Grafstrom, they expressed concerns about the new Club World Cup, which has been expanded to 32 teams.
FIFA responded by denying claims that it had made unilateral decisions to favour domestic competitions in the international tournament calendar and said it would not consider changing the tournament schedule.
“Some of the changes to the English domestic football calendar have been forced upon us through actions by FIFA and UEFA and this incident is further evidence that something needs to be done,” Molango said.
“We are always willing to exhaust all diplomatic avenues. We have sent letters and received replies, but unfortunately we don’t have the time. Sometimes, when adults try really hard to find a solution, a third party, perhaps an arbitrator or a court, is needed.”
Information from Reuters was used in this article.