Aston Villa’s leader, John McGinn, voiced his concerns about the strains on footballers’ mental well-being due to the upsurge in matches, indicating the forthcoming Club World Cup as an indicator of the situation spiralling out of control. Similarly, the Manchester City player Rodri recently raised the possibility of a players’ strike over the arguably demanding schedule. This comes after fellow professional Alisson from Liverpool criticised UEFA for failing to discuss the Champions League’s expansion with the players. The Club World Cup in June, which spans a month, will feature 12 teams from Europe, including the Champions League victors from 2021 to 2024.
McGinn, who played a whopping 66 games in the previous season, including with the Scotland team at the Euro 2024, sees the current situation as a mixed blessing. He believes that although players are remunerated well for a job they adore, there is a pressing need for mental downtime. He found that initially, the excitement of taking part in European competitions was invigorating, but the constant requirement to perform in over 70 games each season, alongside international matches with minimal rest times, takes its toll.
McGinn highlighted that the main issue soccer players face is related to mental pressures rather than physical exertion. He acknowledged the extreme highs and lows that come with playing at a top-level, noting the importance of rest at season’s end. He pointed out that the upcoming Club World Cup will leave little room for players to rest, thus impacting their health.
Meanwhile, Villa’s Youri Tielemans pointed out that proper recovery is a necessity in order to manage such schedules. Aston Villa is currently battling in four competition spaces: the Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup, and Carabao Cup. According to Tielemans, football has become increasingly challenging, and acknowledging and looking after their bodies during the recovery period is vital despite it being demanding at times.
Aston Villa’s upcoming fixture is a home game against Wolves in the Premier League on Saturday, where they will pay tribute to Gary Shaw, who passed away earlier this week.