Aston Villa news via BirminghamLive: in light of the PFA’s potential legal action regarding the matter, Unai Emery asserts that players are playing too many games.
While the Professional Footballers’ Association looks into legal action in response to the increasing number of football games on the schedule, Aston Villa head coach Unai Emery maintains that players are being forced to play too many games.
The PFA seeks to clarify the law regarding players’ obligations to be available for specific contests throughout an increasingly packed schedule. UEFA revised the format of the Champions League and Europa League, making the contests bigger to 36 participants. As a result, teams competing in these competitions will play two extra group stage matches than the existing six.
Chelsea and Manchester City of the Premier League have already qualified for the 32-team Club World Cup, which will take place after the European campaign. Given their incredible start to the league season, Villa is expected to place in the top six this year. They have also qualified for the Europa Conference League last 16, which will take place in March.
Villa have played ten games in the last five weeks since Premier League football resumed after the November international break. Emery’s side have shown signs of fatigue since their win over Man City earlier this month, which was followed just three days later with another 1-0 victory over Arsenal.
After Tyrone Mings and Emi Buendia both sustained season-ending injuries at the start of the season, Jacob Ramsey and Alex Moreno have only just returned from injury in recent weeks after both suffering setbacks in their respective recoveries from injury. Villa have also had to deal with the injuries to Pau Torres and Youri Tielemans this month, while Lucas Digne will spend a month on the sidelines through a hamstring injury.
Meanwhile, Bertrand Traore has only made two Premier League appearances this season due to injury. Not for the first time, the winger returned to Bodymoor Heath injured after representing Burkina Faso in the international break.
“It is difficult but there are a lot of matches for the players,” Emery said when asked about the amount of matches players are expected to play. “Too many! They are risking injury and we have seen a lot of injuries.
“But I want to do my work as well as possible and try to manage the players here, within our structure at Bodymoor and make it work. It is not my concern.
I can’t give you my opinion on it but I do feel they are playing a lot of matches and it is difficult for the players. But some players are stronger than others and could play a lot of matches – while others cannot.
“For example, I analyse and watch each match we play and we have players injured and a lot of clubs have players injured. Maybe more than normal. I sympathise with the players and agree there are a lot of matches for the players but it is not my concern.”
