Manchester City star Rodri gathers support after threatening to strike

A players' strike would be “welcome” if it served to wipe out the FIFA Club World Cup, the president of the Spanish league has said.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri on Tuesday became the latest star to speak out about the increasing workload facing players, saying a players' strike was “close” if nothing changed.

Players will have to play at least two more matches, possibly four, in this season's Champions League before the round of 16, and the season is set to end for 12 European clubs with FIFA's new 32-team Club World Cup in the United States.

Players' unions and national leagues are suing FIFA over what they say was a lack of consultation on the tournament's scheduling and the overall match calendar.

La Liga president Javier Tebas said Rodri was “right” to raise the possibility of a strike, and that he would support it provided it did not target domestic leagues but rather forced a rethink of the overall calendar.

Tebas insisted the problem was not just about the workload of top players, saying the expansion of international club competitions had a sporting and economic impact on domestic leagues and those who played in them.

“I think Rodri is right about a possible strike,” Tebas told Spanish media at an event in Seville.

“I think there is a delay in the matches, there are 200 players affected by this problem. But I say it for the remaining 40,000 professional players and the remaining 2,000 clubs.”

“If this strike serves to resolve the issue of the calendars, but not to remove clubs from the national leagues but to ensure that the Club World Cup does not exist, that the dates are better restructured, then it is welcome because something has to happen.”

“We will take the appropriate legal measures, but if the players' union decides to strike for this reason, which we have already discussed with them, it is not just a problem of oversaturation of matches with 70, 80, 100 players, it is a much bigger problem, it affects the whole industry.”

“Players who do not participate in European competitions, if they follow these criteria, will find themselves with less income, clubs will disappear… we are working on it and we will support them, of course.”

Rodri was asked at City's press conference on Tuesday whether players could strike or refuse to play and said: “I think we are close to that. I think if you ask any player they will tell you the same thing. If it continues like this there will be a point where we will have no other option.”

The Spain midfielder's comments follow similar remarks made in recent days by team-mate Manuel Akanji, as well as Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson.

The Professional Footballers' Association of England is part of a case against FIFA in the Belgian courts seeking to ensure players have protected breaks, amid concerns that a 32-team Club World Cup ending in mid-July does not allow time for a proper rest period before preparations for the new domestic season begin.

The action seeks a ruling from the European Court of Justice on whether the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights, including its Article 5 which prohibits slavery and forced labour, has been violated by FIFA's actions.

The unions are also part of a separate legal complaint also involving the national leagues, which accuses FIFA of abusing a dominant position under European competition law because of its “unilateral” decision-making on the calendar.

FIFA insists the current schedule is the result of a “full and inclusive” consultation, which included global players' union FIFPRO and league bodies.

The Club World Cup benefits from the support of European clubs, thanks to a Memorandum of Understanding concluded between FIFA and the European Club Association.