Champions League: Players are 'close' to going on strike, says Rodri on fixture congestion

New Delhi, Sep 17 (IANS) With the all-new UEFA Champions League format set to kick off on Tuesday, fixture congestion in football is at an all-time high. With many big names coming out and speaking against the drastic number of games they have to play, Manchester City midfielder Rodri has warned that the players are ‘close; to going on strike.

“Yes, I think we are close to that (Players going on strike). It is easy to understand. In general, if you ask any player he will say the same. It is not like it is just the opinion of Rodri, or whoever. I think it is the general opinion of the players, and if it remains this way, it will be a moment where we have no other option. Let's see. I don't know what is going to happen but it is something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer," said Rodri in a pre-match press conference.

Manchester City begin their 2024/25 UCL campaign against Inter Milan, their opponents from the 2023 UCL final. With the four added teams in the UCL, teams have to play two additional games in the league stage followed by additional knockout games depending on the side’s end position in the table.

Rodri, who made his return as a substitute against Brentford on Saturday, has been rested by Manchester City at the start of the new season. After winning the player of the tournament for his antics at the 2024 European Championship, the side deemed that he needed an extra month’s rest which saw him return at full fitness.

“It was great for my legs and great for me. I had one month off, and maybe a little bit extra for me to recover. In general terms, it was about two months. It's been great for me to stop a little bit and to prepare myself. It helps me a lot to stop. I don't watch much football. Of course, when [City] started pre-season I watched them but I tried to disconnect as much as possible. The mental health in that sense was important - to free your mind and move on," he added.

--IANS

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