Manchester City star Rodri and head coach Pep Guardiola have warned that he and several other teammates played an‘unhealthy’ amount of games last season and that things could soon get unmanageable following the latest Premier League changes.
The Man City and Spain star who secured the Blues’ first Champions League trophy and their historic treble recently gave an exclusive interview with The Athletic where he said that he needs to reassess after the total number of minutes he racked up last season.
Rodri, who has been an essential cog in Pep‘s team for multiple seasons now, told journalist Sam Lee, “I think I have to have a talk with the club and with the coach because starting 57, 59 games and playing 60-something, in general, is not healthy… I never get enough rest”.
Although the 27-year-old featured in 56 competitive club matches in the 2022/23 campaign, with international football on top of that (most of which he started) he played well over 60 games and with the Premier League recently announcing new rules changes, he could be set to face even more minutes.
"Last year I had the feeling that we were fighting for everything so I had to push my body to the limit.”
Rodri voices his concerns about playing too many games in #MCFC's greatest season, scoring in the #UCL final and what comes next.
Rodri went on to say that while this amount of fixture congestion isn’t too severe a problem right now, “When I get to 30 or 31 I cannot do this kind of thing, so I have to watch the body because 60 games is not the best thing for a player.
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“You can do it for one season, but when it’s two or three in a row, it can be worse for the team because your physicality can drop… We have already spoken that it cannot always be like this.” It will be interesting to see how this narrative plays out in City’s upcoming Treble documentary too.
He also noted that since “the seasons get even longer every year”, players and coaches, in general, are going to have to adapt in order to keep up with the pace, especially given the recent updates to how the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) want to see the league run.
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As part of the raft of new changes, the PGMOL confirmed that they intend to reduce stoppages in hopes of creating a better flow in games, allowing more leniency when it comes to “physical challenges” as well as more added time following lengthy celebrations. Guardiola took aim at the decision earlier this week.
"Don't ask me my opinion please" 🤐
Pep Guardiola questioned the new injury-time rules after Manchester City's Community Shield loss to Arsenal… pic.twitter.com/uBMPkwCUxN
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) August 7, 2023
Rodri isn’t the only one worried about the ‘unhealthy’ amount of games players are being expected to play.
Speaking after his sides’ Community Shield disappointment, Pep told reporters that the problem isn’t just physical but mental. “They are exhausted”, insisted the 52-year-old; “Look already how many players are injured in the pre-season in bad conditions: humidity, hot, the pitches are not really good – especially in the States. But it is what it is. We have to adapt, adjust, but it’s not normal.”
As for his opinion on the adjustments the FA are making match-by-match, he said that “wasting time, from my point of view, is not going to be solved by adding 10 more minutes”.
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It calculated that the average time the ball was in play in Premier League matches was less than 55 minutes per 90 and even fewer minutes further down the EFL but, as Pep sees it, “What happens if they continue to be slow? It’s more tiring for the players. It’s too much.”
City play the opening game of the new season against newly-promoted Burnley on Friday, 11 August at 8pm but only finished their pre-season on 30 July and played their last game this past Sunday. As the meme goes, ‘the football’ famously never stops and is officially going on forever.
Featured Image — Manchester City (via Instagram)
Sport
Manchester United announce signing of new women’s striker Lea Schüller
Danny Jones
Manchester United Women have revealed another new player, officially announcing the signing of German striker Lea Schüller.
The experienced forward joins the Man United women’s team from reigning Frauen-Bundesliga champions, Bayern Munich, having spent half a decade with the seven-time winners.
Schuller is the third deal done in just a matter of a few days, following another European international, Hanna Lundkvist, who will officially join up with the team on 1 January.
Unveiled on Monday, 29 December, the 28-year-old made more than a century of appearances for Bayern and helped them to four of those titles, as well as a Women’s DFB-Pokal German cup.
Safe to say she arrived in Manchester with a fair bit of pedigree.
Also scoring over 100 goals in her five years with the club, as well as 54 goals in 82 appearances for Germany, with whom she finished as runners-up when England defeated them in the Euro 2022 final.
Speaking in her first official club statement, Schüller said: “From the first conversations that I had with Marc and the club, the ambitions of everyone here were very clear. I still have so much that I want to achieve in my career, and I know that Manchester United is the perfect club to join.
“I feel that the team’s style of football will really suit my game; I hope my qualities and experience can help us to achieve our aims both in England and in the Champions League.”
The club is definitely having a productive recruitment period as promised, with Marc Skinner looking to bring in even more before the end of the January transfer window.
As for Schüller, she has signed a contract until June 2029, and you can expect Skinner and his coaching staff to start introducing her into their offensive line around her very soon.
Matt Johnson, Director of Women’s Football at Manchester United, went on to add: “Lea’s goalscoring record is phenomenal, her style of play will give our attack an exciting new dimension. We are delighted to add a player of her pedigree to the group.
“Lea’s winning mentality and experience will really help our young and ambitious team as we continue to grow together and compete across domestic and European competitions.”
You can see her first full interview as a Man United Women’s star down below.
The Olympic bronze medallist should contribute plenty.
VAR audio requested as Nottingham Forest prepare complaint after Man City defeat
Danny Jones
Nottingham Forest have requested that the VAR audio from their game against Manchester City be released, as they are considering launching a formal complaint following the defeat.
Forest hosted Man City at home this past weekend and went on to lose 2-1.
However, Sean Dyche’s side are said to be ‘extremely unhappy’ with some of the refereeing decisions made by first official, Rob Jones, on the day.
As a result, they are now asking the Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) to share some of the conversations between on-pitch officials and the VAR team at Stockley Park in West London.
"I'm scratching my head and I can't believe it!" 😳
Sean Dyche wasn't happy with the officiating in their loss to Man City 😬
As you can see, Dyche initially said that “there’s no point” in pushing the refs on their performance, as he feels they usually only “get in trouble”, but it looks as though his employers have advocated for him.
Nottingham Forest had a problem with the final call in a number of instances during the festive fixture on Saturday, 27 December, but none more so than in one key moment.
The manager and his coaching team felt that Rayan Cherki’s 83rd-minute winner should have been cancelled out following a foul by Nico O’Reilly on Morgan Gibbs-White in the preceding corner, which may have prevented Cherki from scoring another decisive finish.
Dyche also argued that another City defender, Ruben Dias, was due a second yellow card and therefore dismissal from the pitch for a challenge after the break, but there was ultimately nothing doing.
You can see the collision here:
"I do have sympathy for Sean Dyche… it is a second yellow card!"
Ref Watch discuss whether Ruben Dias should have been sent off against Nottingham Forest. pic.twitter.com/dxTYmGsEqZ
According to Sky Sports News, Nottingham have already requested more information from the refereeing body, with this not being the first time they’ve felt hard done by.
As they put it, the hope/belief is that raising the issue could help “start a broader discussion around officiating this season.”
What do you make of Forest’s concerns against Manchester City, and do you think they’re worthy of launching an official complaint against the PGMOL and Premier League?
You can see the highlights from the game and perhaps decide for yourself down below.
Danny Jones -
10th August 2023 
