Hectic scheduling will affect the performance of players. This is according to Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski. The Polish international has played 60 matches for club and country since football resumed last May.
Lewandowski in an interview opened up about the intense schedule football player is put through. Speaking to The Times, The 32-year-old believes that the players won’t be able to play at their best as more matches are played in a short period of time.
“So many people forget that we are humans, we are not machines, we cannot play every day at the highest level of performance,” Lewandowski says.
TOO MUCH FOOTBALL?
The Bayern Munich superstar is coming off another stellar season. He scored 41 goals in the Bundesliga this season and broke the 49-year-old record of Gerd Muller in the process. Since football restarted last May he has scored 69 goals from his appearance for club and country.
But Lewandowski believes that it is detrimental for players, especially youngsters to play so many matches. Players have limited time to recover and with new changes to Champions League, the number of matches is set to go even higher.
“For football and for young players, that will be the big problem, to stay at the top for many years, because now and maybe the next two years, that will be extreme: so many big games.”
LEWANDOWSKI ONE AMONG MANY VOICES
Lewandowski is not the only person to come forward and talk about hectic scheduling. Many including the likes of Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp have spoken about how increasing the number of matches has strained the availability of players. The problem is worse for teams competing in European competitions, that have to play more matches.
But the players suffer most as they have to represent their country in the international competitions, reducing their recovery period even more. With new competitions like UEFA Nations League, player fitness and mental well-being are stretched to the limits.
Thus tight scheduling, in the long run, is a big issue. It will reduce the career of many players whose bodies are not properly taken care of. There will be also a lack of quality on the field as a reduced recovery period will affect the performance. It is great that footballers like Lewandowski are speaking up on the issue. However, it is a shame that governing bodies are not acting upon it.
