Umberto Calcagno returns to talk about the many matches that are played in Italian football but not only. The number one of the AIC has thus analyzed the situation of the world of football: “We are reaching a point of no return – reports gianlucadimarzio.com -. But be careful, it is a critical situation that affects the entire system, not just the physical aspect of the athlete. And if the situation does not change, the hypothesis of a strike could materialize. Consequences? The footballer has the same position as a subordinate worker. In the event of a strike, the working day’s wages would be withheld from the paycheck. The possibility will depend on our interlocutors, on what FIFA will do. If it continues to have the attitude it has had in recent years, refusing dialogue, it will be difficult to find a point of agreement.
In the season that has just started, a player like Barella could play more than 80 games. With the Club World Cup there won’t even be a proper summer break. There is great concern on the part of the players and staff who will have to follow these guys in two championships in a row without a break. Studies done with other European unions show an exponential increase in injuries in big clubs, due to the high number of games and back to back games, that is, played a few days apart. In teams, 8 players find themselves having to play 50% of the games, they are subjected to a great effort. And they are often the ones who guarantee the most quality. Taking high salaries does not mean that their health should not be preserved.
On the one hand, having to play so many games will lower the level of performance of the players. On the other hand, an overexposure of international competitions can create disinterest on the part of the fans, whose passion in Europe is rooted in the territory, and problems with television rights as seen with Ligue 1 or our Serie B. These are all reflections to be made. We must ask ourselves in which direction we want to go. These are choices that influence the future and the life of our competitions”.