A wave of injuries at PSG is no accident. A recent report from FIFPRO, the global players’ union, indicates that the Parisian club is suffering from a relentless schedule with little to no breaks.
This alarming trend has put several key players on the sidelines, including Dembélé, Doué, Neves, Barcola, Vitinha, Ruiz, Marquinhos, and Kvaratskhelia, raising serious concerns about the club’s approach to player health.
The statistics are stark: while the FIFPRO asserts that players need at least 28 days of rest and equal preparation to mitigate injury risks, PSG has only granted its players a mere 22 days of rest.
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No enough Rest
This has been compounded by just seven days of preparation following an exhausting season, leading to the fastest return to play in Europe and a cascade of injuries.
The FIFPRO has drawn attention to a broader issue, noting that only 14% of European clubs adhere to recommended rest guidelines, but PSG is particularly egregious in this regard. Last season, four Parisian players—Neves, Ruiz, Doué, and Hakimi—ranked among the top 10 most used players worldwide, a clear indicator that the club is pushing its talent to the limit.
Excessive Match Load, Predictable Injury Crisis
Darren Burgess, a performance expert from Juventus who presented the findings, warns that the lack of proper breaks is a ticking time bomb for player health.
In light of this grueling pace, FIFPRO is calling for players to have a say in decision-making processes regarding their schedules. Some players, like Chris Wood from Nottingham Forest, are even contemplating strike actions as a form of protest.
In a striking symbol of the current state of affairs, the last two Ballon d’Or winners, Rodri and Dembélé, received their awards while injured. For FIFPRO, this unfortunate coincidence is a clear sign that the system is straining to cope, highlighting the urgent need for reform in how player workloads are managed.
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