Bayern Munich coach joins City and Real Madrid stars in warning about player burnout

Bayern Munich's coach, Vincent Kompany, reopened one of those subjects that are always up for debate in soccer: player burnout, both physical and mental. In a press conference this Friday, Kompany made it clear-there needs to be a limit on how many games a player can play each year. And he is not alone in this concern, with similar fears being raised by several prominent figures in European soccer, from coaches down to players themselves.

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The current landscape: more games, more pressure

This season is even tougher, however, for the players and clubs. In addition to the already demanding schedule of European competition-like the Champions League-FIFA has extended the Club World Cup to 32 teams, which is to take place during the European summer-just when players should be resting.

It does not make sense to Kompany. "There comes a point where it is just unrealistic to ask to play 75 or 80 games," said the Belgian coach, referring to the mountain some teams face across both domestic and European competitions.

These comments from Kompany come at a time when other soccer personalities, such as Rodri of Manchester City and Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso, have also voiced their grievances about the congested calendar. But with most people speaking to the quantity of congestion in terms of overall number of matches, Kompany presses ahead to speak for an effective solution to the problem: controlling the number of games each player can play.

Limits on games: a solution or further conundrum?

Now, as simple as Kompany's suggestion to put a ceiling on the number of games per player may sound, it comes with its fair share of processes, difficulties, and implications. Of course, the apparent clarity of such a limit may ease some pressure off clubs that often overwork their best players in a bid to win trophies. However, this limit would not be that easy to put into place as it sounds.

First, what does it mean to cap games? Suppose every player were allowed to participate, for instance, in only 50 matches per season. How would clubs distribute the star players throughout the multiple competitions? And what about Kompany's example of finals being an exception? Would that be fair? But it is not just a management issue; it's strategic too. Think about when a club has to rest its best player during a semifinal because he has reached his game limit.

The possible repercussion could be forced squad rotations, which could compromise the quality of soccer in the early reaches of tournaments. As Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said, "We want to see good soccer." And would fans, used to seeing their favorite stars week in and week out, be on board with this type of restriction?

Player support: a strike on the horizon?

The comments by Kompany are not the first such arguments put forward. Manchester City's Rodri did not mince words: "We're close to going on strike." That fact alone shows that complaints do not end with the management of clubs, but also the athletes themselves who have to withstand week after week of relentless pressure and battering.

He is not alone: The views against the tight schedule also came from Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, Barcelona's Koundé, and Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois. That the criticism is emanating from a number of high-profile players underlines the fact that this isn't some isolated problem but a symptom of a system struggling to balance the health of the players with their performances.

A strike, which has been thrown in the air as an option, would be an unprecedented move in modern soccer. It could have big implications not just for the leagues but also for the relationship between players, clubs, and governing bodies.

Xabi Alonso's take: players need to be heard

Within this context, the comments of Xabi Alonso certainly stand out: "We need to involve the professional players in these decisions." Well, that's an interesting point, often not considered: are the opinions of players asked enough when organizing any competition? Probably not.

It seems that an increasingly large number of games is driven by financial and commercial motives. The more games there are, the more broadcasting rights, more sponsorships, and thus income, but at what costs? Such thinking still seems to be oblivious to the real impact it has on the players-let's face it, the stars of the show. Alonso calls for an in-depth dialogue, one that surpasses merely including clubs and federations.

Although giving players a voice in making decisions might not be new, considering just how much soccer has changed in the past decades, it has become increasingly relevant. The calendar being endless these days, serious injuries are at an extremely high risk, and fatigue may dent the quality of performances. And this is where the requirement seems to be there for listening to those voices on the field that may just make not only the game better but also elongate the careers of the players.