This season, after the reform of the Champions League, many top-tier teams have encountered a congested schedule. Today, the Professional Footballers’ Association (PFA) chairman, Morango, discussed in an interview the importance of adequate rest for players.
Morango cited Haaland and Salah as examples. Both players received ample rest during the off-season and had no national team matches to play after the season ended. In the first three rounds of the Premier League, Haaland scored seven goals, while Salah scored three goals and provided three assists. This contrasts sharply with Alvarez and Foden, who played a total of 75 and 72 matches respectively for their clubs and national teams last season.
Morango stated, “I found that the performance difference between players who had a normal holiday and those who did not have a complete break is stark. They even exhibit different body language at the start of the season. Taking Haaland as an example, when I met him during the pre-season, he was full of motivation. He would feel ‘I miss the pitch, I can’t wait to start training, I’m very motivated.’ Conversely, players who did not get sufficient rest appeared exhausted before the season began, which is really worrying.”
Morango also mentioned, “We need to protect the players, and there should be limits on their playing time each season. However, the current situation is quite the opposite.”
Professional Footballers’ Association Chairman: Salah and Haaland Prove the Importance of Rest; Neither Participated in International Matches. Author：Sports UEFA.Please indicate the source when reproduced：https://www.sportsuefa.com/football-world/34129.html
