NewStats: 3,261,151 , 8,173,198 topics. Date: Wednesday, 28 May 2025 at 11:21 AM gh6y

Manchester City midfielder Rodri has warned leading footballers could go on strike if clubs continue to face an ever-expanding schedule.

City, the 2023 Champions League winners, face Italian giants Inter Milan at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday, in their first match of the competition’s new league phase.

The expanded 36-team tournament, in which all clubs play eight league fixtures, is a far cry from the original European Cup which only featured reigning national champions.

City will also compete in an expanded Club World Cup at the end of the season.

“Yes, I think we are close to that,” said Rodri when asked on Tuesday if there was a possibility of players going on strike.

“If it keeps this way we will have no other option. It is something that worries us.”

City manager Pep Guardiola was more reserved, however, saying, “We are in our first game, then the second and we will see what happens in the last games to go through.

“It is not necessary to look now. It’s in the future. We will see.”

Spain star Rodri’s comments echoed those of Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson, who said players were being ignored by football chiefs when it came to the issue of fixture congestion.

Liverpool are away to AC Milan on Tuesday in their opening fixture.

“Sometimes nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games,” Alisson told reporters on Monday.

“Maybe our opinion doesn’t matter, but everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody’s tired of that.”

https://punchng.com/man-citys-rodri-warns-of-strike-action-over-fixture-congestion/

It's only 2 extra games so they should calm down.

These players play an average of two matches within a week with a very bogus weekly wages and they are still complaining, how about those that work for a whole week with a meager earnings?🤷‍♂️

Una dey collect big wages for playing one's in a week and in 90mins,una still dey complain.We wey dey work 7 days in a week and resume by 8am to 4pm and still earns peanut nko?

Mtchewwww.... On which strike? Dem get union?!!


When you and your greedy agents were pegging and demanding ridiculous and insane wages, I never saw clubs going on strike.


Play or take massive pay cuts!

The balance go reach una clubs sign up more players to properly and fully rotate the squads for fixtures.


Why should a top team involved in multiple competitions and fixtures not have massive squad depths to choose from?!!


You players, coaches, and club owners need to have a word with yourselves.


Maybe it's time to actually give youth academies a chance!


There should be players for certain fixtures, and others for other fixtures!

It's as simple as that!!!

Good especially in England.... They play fa Cup, league Cup and Premier league...... And another one if u qualify for Europe that's 4 competition for goodness sake.... Spain na only la liga nd copa, same with , Italy and ... But yeye England na 3.... Haba

Alot will argue that ain't they getting paid... Shey make dem come kill themselves because of work?

GanagiBitrus:
It's only 2 extra games so they should calm down.

I swear

GanagiBitrus:
It's only 2 extra games so they should calm down.

Seriously

These guys are paid huge amounts of money to do what they love doing best, yet they are complaining of fixture congestion. Una no serious

but won't go on strike after collected hefty money ?

Them dey pay you millions per week una still get mind dey complain u get sense at all


Me wey dey see 20k per day for my working place I wan happy scatter




Stuggart had a clear penalty but VAR refuse to check it

Hmmmm. make I no talk within de my mind

These people too dey complain. 2 extra games won't hurt you.
I propose the, the International Break be scrapped

phorget:
These players play an average of two matches within a week with a very bogus weekly wages and they are still complaining, how about those that work for a whole week with a meager earnings?🤷‍♂️

Why do you think their wages are bogus?

These guys don't know how privileged they are. Go on strike and watch someone replace you at once. You should be thankful that you earn in one week what some people won't earn in their lifetime in Africa.

.

Please don't

Keep quiet! Some people work all day every day for 365 days. You kick a round leather thing for 9Omin win or loose you get paid..Injured of fit you get paid. Expanded fixture or not you still way ahead of us.

You people are overpaid

80 percent of the world work harder than you guys and earn barely 1% of what you guys earn

Ha .. let them go , their salary will not be paid too .. e no like dat

Go on strike? Joke of the century?

All I care is that MOSSAD is giving Allah some treats like a puppy.

phorget:
These players play an average of two matches within a week with a very bogus weekly wages and they are still complaining, how about those that work for a whole week with a meager earnings?🤷‍♂️

they attend trainings all week before they play.... Oga if u Don play football for 90 mins before, you go know say eno easy to play 2 matches within a week....dem no be robots oh....

Abeg make Man city players no go on strike before Man city/ Arsenal fixture o!

Judolisco:
Good especially in England.... They play fa Cup, league Cup and Premier league...... And another one if u qualify for Europe that's 4 competition for goodness sake.... Spain na only la liga nd copa, same with , Italy and ... But yeye England na 3.... Haba

Alot will argue that ain't they getting paid... Shey make dem come kill themselves because of work?

Let them fight with their employers not the league...!

Every club should have depth to rotate players... Use your academy strictly and solely for less competitive tournaments like EFL and F.A.

Let other smaller clubs have a chance to win trophies too.

Top clubs should have designated players or second feeder teams to undertake less important fixtures.

Epl didn't force them to play all competitions.

Let's keep things objective.


You must not compete or win every tournament.

LoL

phorget:
These players play an average of two matches within a week with a very bogus weekly wages and they are still complaining, how about those that work for a whole week with a meager earnings?🤷‍♂️

do you know what it means to train 5 times a week for hours?

Have you do it before... Train 5 times a week?

That Is because they earn alot and sporting bodies want to increase their revenues also

I like the fact that players are now speaking up over this anomalies!
Yesterday it was Liverpool Allison and today it's rodri....more players will talk about this and something will be done!
I when jurgen klopp was complaining about the fixture congestion and British sports media were attacking him!

Adakintroy:
Keep quiet! Some people work all day every day for 365 days. You kick a round leather thing for 9Omin win or loose you get paid..Injured of fit you get paid. Expanded fixture or not you still way ahead of us.

Don't mind the overprivileged thing...!

When we have been talking about the inflated salaries and g amounts for players, they called us haters.


Why should a club have more undue advantages than others?

Some clubs have so many good players they rarely use all season, yet they want to keep using same set of top players in almost all competitions!

Why?!! Because they want to be winning treble and quadruple every season.