In the build-up to France’s upcoming Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands, Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni (23) spoke to the media. One topic in the former Monaco midfielder’s press conference was the increasing number of matches players participate in season on season.
When asked about the increasing fixture schedule and the impact this has on the players, Tchouaméni said, “Obviously we play too many matches, it’s not a surprise to anyone. This materialises in injuries, it is up to the authorities and the players to bang their fists on the table.”
This comes after the 23-year-old’s boss at international level, Didier Deschamps, criticised FIFA’s decision to spread the 2030 World Cup across three continents. These aren’t the only changes FIFA are planning to make to the football calendar with the introduction of the new FIFA Club World Cup which feature more teams and take place during the summer months.
Ligue 1 have taken action to reduce fixture congestion and reduce the number of matches with the reduction of the French top flight to 18 teams in 2022/23. However, with international matches excluded, any team who competes in the Europa League or Europa Conference League this season could participate in a maximum of 56 matches this season.
GFFN | Liam Wraith
