Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal Reveals Why Players Want Less Games

Real Madrid defender, Dani Carvajal has stressed that players want fewer games because more games mean more fitness issues for the players.

Dani Carvajal who is one of the veterans currently at Real Madrid also stressed that players would agree to take a pay cut in return for playing fewer games, putting in less time, and staying injury-free.

It is believed that it is because of the overloaded schedule of professional football that contributed to Real Madrid’s growing injury list.

Currently Real Madrid’s eight players – Aurélien Tchouaméni, Eduardo Camavinga, Thibaut Courtois, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Éder Militão, Luka Modric, Vinícius Júnior, and Arda Güler – are sidelined with different degrees of injuries.

The Spanish La Liga giants are going into their Champions League group stage game against Napoli on Wednesday without all those aforementioned players.

The good news is that Real Madrid have not been struggling to win games despite the injury woes. They are currently leading Champions League Group C after recording four straight wins.

As for Dani Carvajal, the Spain international has had an incredible season despite his past injury history.

He has started 12 La Liga games and made three appearances in the Champions League so far this season. But he is not excited that players have to play too many games per season.

He said: “For a top player playing at a top club, the calendar is very demanding. With the new Club World Cup, we won’t ever get a summer off. I agree with [coach Carlo Ancelotti] and other people who’ve said there are too many games. So many injuries aren’t a coincidence.

“The players are the ones who play, and it’s hard to reach an agreement between everyone. It’s complicated. But what’s a reality is there are lots of injuries, and I think a lot of them are due to the calendar.”

Carvajal added: “A lot of people say Why don’t [players] cut their salaries?'” We haven’t said we wouldn’t. If we had to earn less and play fewer games, it wouldn’t be a problem. You don’t see players at their best, and the games are dropping in quality, that’s the reality.”