Competition/Fixtures: Rashford advocates more rest for professional players

Marcus Rashford has advocated the need for more rest between matches to reduce risk of injury for elite players.

Rashford noted the contrast between the number of matches that teams played, saying that it invariably exposes players to injury.

“To be honest, I think that is evident. It is mad that we were playing at club level against teams that are playing one game a week and we’re playing three game a week from November up until we got knocked out of the Europa League. It is difficult but at the same time we are used to doing it. But I don’t think it is right.”

Asked on if he’d spoken to other players about the greater risk of injury, Rashford continued: “Not this season but in the earlier stages of my career, I just couldn’t make sense of it.

“I know some managers have spoken out about it. But if one team is playing 60 games and another team is playing 38, there needs to be some time for teams playing those 20 extra games to recover and to be able to prepare properly for the game.

The Manchester United forward  stressed that players should be given more time to recover between certain games and at different stages.

“Listen, the players are going to push ourselves to the absolute limits. It is nothing new. So it is not a complaint or a dig, I’m just giving you my honest opinion. I don’t think it is correct. I think we should be given more time to recover in between certain games and at different stages of the season as well.

“That’s just my personal opinion on it. The players shouldn’t have to put ourselves in a position to speak out about something that we’re not in control of or are going to make the final decision on”.

The issue of jam-packed fixtures has always been at the fore of discussions especially with elite Coaches calling for the protection of the players against long and stretched matches.