Gerard Piqué's Idea to Protect Players' Health
As discontent over congested football calendars continues to grow, former FC Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué suggested in an interview with beIN SPORTS reducing domestic leagues to 16 teams instead of 20.
Piqué has once again brought the issue to the forefront. To combat the oversaturation of football schedules, the iconic former Barça player proposed a bold and original idea: reducing the number of teams in national leagues to 16 instead of the current 20, or even 18, as seen in Ligue 1 and the Bundesliga. “I believe that reducing the number of matches would help players get more rest, which means fewer injuries and arriving less fatigued for important games,” Piqué said in an exclusive interview with beIN SPORTS, where he spoke in his new role as a sports event organizer.
Known for his straightforward opinions, Piqué advocated for lowering the frequency of matches to improve both the quality of the spectacle and players’ health. “We need to make these matches unique, special. Nowadays, there are too many competitions with too many games. This is one of the proposals that, after some debate, was accepted by leaders and players. However, implementing it is difficult because organizations want more games. UEFA, FIFA... in the world of football, there are multiple governing bodies, and each has its own interests. Reaching a common agreement is very complicated,” lamented the former footballer.
An Endless Debate
Piqué’s remarks add fuel to an ongoing and heated debate in professional football. Players like Rodri, the recent Ballon d’Or winner, have even mentioned the possibility of a strike to protest against the increasing number of matches. Alongside the players, several coaches have voiced their concerns in recent months, including Carlo Ancelotti, Didier Deschamps, and Vincent Kompany. The Bayern Munich coach, for instance, has called for a maximum number of matches to be set per year.
The issue continues to spark heated discussions but seems far from being resolved.
