Thibaut Courtois discusses potential footballers' strike after Rodri comments

Thibaut Courtois has become the latest big name to raise concerns around the football calendar, with the Real Madrid goalkeeper pointing to the absence of a sufficient summer break as the primary cause for burnout.

Former Chelsea stopper Courtois, who missed much of last season owing to injury, was not part of the Belgium squad for this summer’s European Championship.

And he says it is not the number of games that is the problem but the gap between seasons. A big basketball fan, Courtois points to the NBA schedule - which runs intensely between October and April for the regular season with play-offs until June - as a reference point.

"It's difficult,” he told Marca. “I don't think it's necessarily the games (that are the problem). It's the break between one season and another.

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"Players who have gone far in the Copa América or the Euro Cup have had three weeks of vacation. That's impossible. In the NBA they have a demanding schedule but you rest for four months. That's the difference."

After Manchester City star Rodri said players are close to going on strike because of the calendar, several other players have aired their grievances with the demands.

But critics argue that players should accept the schedule because they are so well paid.

In response to that, Courtois added: "One thing has nothing to do with the other. I think there is enough income to pay the salaries. In the end... In 2021 I said that the Nations League was too much and that we shouldn't play.

“People laughed at me and look now. In the NBA they also play a lot of games, but they have many months off.

"I rested well by not going with the national team and I feel good. But those who play in the Euro Cup or Copa América don't have time..."

Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker and Aston Villa duo John McGinn and Youri Tielemans have also aired concerns this week around the calendar - fuelled by the new Champions League league phase adding a minimum two additional games for participants.

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