The subject has caused a lot of ink to flow. The intensity of the football calendar, particularly last season, worries many players in the round ball. With the Club World Cup, the national championships and the European competitions, the players chain matches at a sustained pace, which could increase the risk of injury.
Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil coach and former Real Madrid coach, pointed out this overload in an interview with
Il Giornale. “Yes, we play too much and bad, football is more analytical, intense, fast, but FIFA and UEFA must review the calendars, there are a lot of matches, not all of quality and there are too many injuries”he explained.
To remedy this, the Italian offers to reduce the number of teams in certain championships, especially in Italy and Spain. “I think reducing the number of teams in the 20 to 18 championships is a good solution. This would avoid poor quality matches and the costs would therefore be more reasonable ”he added.
Bundesliga and Ligue 1 as examples
In European Big 5, Germany was a pioneer with its Bundesliga at 18 clubs. Ligue 1 took over this model from the 2023-2024 season, from 20 to 18 training courses. The first French division had already counted 18 teams between 1997 and 2002.
Ancelotti also pointed out the limited role of coaches and players in these decisions. “We are the best paid, that may be why they don't want us at the negotiation table”he concluded.
