AIC warn more fixtures detrimental to health and entertainment value too | OneFootball

The head of the Italian Players’ Association (AIC) warned the increasingly packed fixture list is becoming ‘detrimental to the health of players, but also the entertainment value’ of the sport.

There have been growing complaints from various associations around the world, which only intensified after FIFA pushed through the plans for the expanded 2025 edition of the Club World Cup.

That will see Inter and Juventus participate from Serie A and their seasons won’t end until mid-July 2025.

AIC concerned by expanded tournaments

epa11693104 Juventus’ Dusan Vlahovic (C) in action against goalkeeper Zion Suzuki of Parma during the Italian Serie A soccer match between Juventus FC and Parma Calcio, in Turin, Italy, 30 October 2024. EPA-EFE/ALESSANDRO DI MARCO

“The situation has just become worse and it’s going to be difficult to emerge from it now,” AIC President Umberto Calcagno said at the presentation of the Gran Galà del Calcio awards.

“Imagine the season that Inter and Juventus players will be dealing with. Between club and international football, they’ll go straight from one season to the next.”

While the main focus has been on the damage this is doing to players, AIC chief Calcagno warns that the clubs and associations should also be worried that more games does not necessarily lead to a greater quality of football.

“This attitude is detrimental to the health of players, but also the entertainment value of the sport. You cannot expect a player to reach his 60th game of the season and play at the same level as someone who had 20 matches.

“We must safeguard the health of the players, but also the spectacle of a product that otherwise will be less entertaining than we are accustomed to.”

There is also the risk of over-saturating the market with constant games, as seen by the difficulty that FIFA have had in selling the rights to the 2025 Club World Cup fixtures.