Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane has admitted he is worried by the demanding fixture schedule on players this season and he believes that it is “too much” on everyone involved.
Los Blancos are about to embark on an intense period where they play 10 matches spread over the course of just 32 days and he believes the long-term demands of playing more than two matches per week is damaging on the players.
It follows a gruelling scheduling which included an international break when European nations played three games and following a hectic start to the campaign.
Indeed, there was no meaningful pre-season for clubs – and particularly those in European competition, like Madrid – following on from the resumption of football in June following a three-month halt.
Zidane said of the schedule in his pre-match press conference ahead of Saturday’s La Liga trip to Villarreal, as quoted by Marca: “I’m not going to enter into that debate. But what I can say because I see that the schedule is too much.
“I think about the health of the players, nothing more, and they never stop. And I’m not just talking about my players and it’s true that I’m worried, I’m not going to get involved, in the end there are people who are there and make the schedule, but I’m worried by it.”
Zidane was once again pressed on the issue later in the press conference, and he added: “I think all coaches need to feel that they are heard. We have had a meeting between coaches to try to change something and today I say what I feel.
“I talk about the health of the players and also football in matches, to give a good performance, the health of the players is important. It is not just the workouts; recovery is very important and there is no time either. I wanted to talk about that today and that’s it.”
my allah help them