Manchester City Manager joseph Guardiola Urges players To Strike For Their Welfare.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has called for a player strike to protest against the hectic football schedule that is putting their health and safety at risk. He said that words alone will not solve the issue and that players need to take action like the Spanish women’s team did.

Guardiola’s comments come amid a Covid crisis that has seen several Premier League matches postponed and clubs struggling with injuries and fatigue. He said that the authorities, such as Fifa, Uefa and the broadcasters, care more about the business than the welfare of the players.

He pointed out that the Premier League is the only major league that does not allow five substitutions, which he said is a simple way to protect the players. He also criticised the introduction of a mid-season World Cup last year, which added more pressure on the players.

He suggested that players should follow the example of the Spanish women’s team, who went on strike in 2021 to demand better working conditions and the removal of former president Luis Rubiales. He said that the players have the power to change things if they decide to stop playing.

“There is only one solution to change something, maybe if all the players decide for themselves to say, ‘Stop’, then you have to change something,” Guardiola said. "And then Fifa, Uefa will maybe react a little bit.

“In this business the show must go on. Without Pep, keep going, but without the players the show will not go on. But it depends on them, if they decide.”

Guardiola’s views were echoed by the chief executive of the Professional Footballers’ Association, Maheta Molango, who said that players’ concerns are not going away and that they need to be taken seriously by those who run the game.

“I’ve spoken with many senior players on this issue,” he said. “I can tell you that it isn’t going away. Players don’t choose to speak out on issues like this without having given it a lot of thought. Now it’s up to those who run the game at all levels to begin to take this seriously so it’s an issue that can be addressed constructively with players at the heart of the conversation. That has to happen now.”

Guardiola also revealed that he has consulted former Wolves manager Julen Lopetegui about Matheus Nunes, who he signed from Sporting Lisbon in the summer and who will face his former club on Saturday. He praised Nunes as a “fantastic player” who can play in different positions.