Arsenal's season reignites debate about too many games in football

Arsenal's victorious campaign has become an unexpected symbol of football's growing calendar crisis. The global players' union, FIFPRO, has warned that too many matches and a long sequence of competitions are increasing the risk of injuries in a season marked by the proximity of the World Cup.

The English club's success comes with worrying numbers. Five players in the squad - David Raya, Martin Zubimendi, Declan Rice, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze - are expected to participate in between 78 and 83 games this season, combining commitments for club and country.

Midfielder Martin Zubimendi faced the heaviest load. He played in 38 Premier League matches during Arsenal's title-winning campaign and has played 67 games this season between club and Spanish national team - more than any other player.

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Declan Rice played 65 games and Gyokeres 63. The trio can still add to those numbers with the UEFA Champions League final and the World Cup to come. In addition, Arsenal reached the final of the English League Cup and the quarter-finals of the FA Cup.

"There is clear evidence that workload is a real problem. We have years of data to support this," said Darren Burgess, high performance consultant at FIFPRO and performance director at Juventus.

"We know that many injuries today are related to excessive gaming. The load increases year after year, even with evidence that this is harmful."

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It's not just about minutes on the field
According to Burgess, the problem goes beyond the time played. Constant traveling also increases wear and tear, especially in midweek European games.

"Players who play in the middle of the week get home at 3am or 4am. They play on Wednesday night and have to perform again on Saturday at noon, often traveling," he explained.

"The data shows that physical performance drops when they play consecutive matches. It's not guesswork, it's objective proof. The impact is enormous."

The next World Cup, which will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada, will begin just 11 days after the Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain, further increasing concern.

For Gregory Dupont, former physical trainer for Real Madrid and the 2018 world champion French team, the short break can harm athletes' performance.

"The players who compete in the Champions League final will not have enough time for complete preparation, adaptation to the heat and optimal physical recovery," he said.

"We need regulations if we want to protect not just the players, but football."

Dupont also highlighted that 56% of World Cup matches will be played in temperatures above 28°C, which can reduce athletes' physical performance. Time zone changes between the three host countries also present an additional challenge.

"Survival of the fittest"
Maheta Molango, CEO of the Professional Footballers' Association in England, said there are fears the World Cup could turn into a "survival of the fittest".

"No player is asking for pity. They know they are privileged and don't live in a bubble," he said.

"But as much as they want to play every game, they're not robots."

Molango cited Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard as an example of the season's physical impact. The Norwegian missed several games due to injury just before Norway's first World Cup appearance in 28 years.

Over the last three seasons, Odegaard has averaged 46 appearances for Arsenal, but has played just 35 times this season.

"He is an exemplary professional, he takes great care of his body. It's difficult to imagine someone more disciplined," said Molango.

"But look at how many games he's missed this year compared to previous ones. Is it fair that instead of focusing on football, he needs to just focus on trying to keep his body healthy? That shouldn't happen."

With Arsenal's title, see the ranking of England's greatest champions

Source: CNN