Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva has become the latest footballer to speak out against the dangerous workload of elite-level players.
Silva produced the winner for City in their FA Cup final semi-final against Chelsea – just three days after playing 120 minutes in the UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid.
FIFPRO and medical science recommends at least five days of rest and recovery time between two appearances to minimise injury risk and allow for a full recovery.
Speaking to the media after City’s win against Chelsea, Silva said: “We didn’t play on a level field because the FA didn’t give us a chance to recover. Which in my opinion is not reasonable at all.
“I’m just saying because we won. If we didn’t win, I wouldn’t say because I don’t like to find excuses. But today I don’t think it’s acceptable we have to play.
“It’s too much. Today was too much. We played 120 minutes less than three days ago. There’s no excuse for the game to not be tomorrow [Sunday]. It’s not acceptable. For all of us as a team that’s how we feel.”
City manager Pep Guardiola echoed Silva, saying it was “unacceptable” that his side had to play so soon after their Champions League quarter-final.
Mikel Arteta also highlighted the need to “protect the players” after his Arsenal side played a Premier League game at Wolverhampton Wanderers only three days after their away leg Champions League quarter-final against Bayern.
“It’s not about us, Pep or myself, it’s about the well-being of the players,” said Arteta. “When you compete in European competition every team has to compete in the same way.
“You cannot have a team that hasn’t played for seven days, or three days before and has more recovery time, and then you have to play in the Premier League and the FA Cup. It is not right.
“If you want to protect, let’s talk about the players and the protagonists. Let’s protect the players and do everything we can to give them the maximum time to help them recover and perform and do the show that they do every week.”
