'We're not robots:' Son Heung-min is the latest top soccer player to raise concerns over schedule

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Tottenham Hotspur's Son Heung-Min, gestures during a press conferece, at Hotspur Way Training Ground, in London, Wednesday, Sept. 25, 2024, ahead of their Europa League soccer match against Qaraba FK on Thursday. (Zac Goodwin/PA via AP)

LONDON ā€“ Tottenham forward Son Heung-min has become the latest soccer star to publicly raise concerns over the number of games players are being asked to play.

The South Korea international said there was a ā€œmassiveā€ risk of injury to players in the face of the demands being placed on them.

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His comments came after Manchester City midfielder Rodri said last week that players were close to taking strike action. Days later, Rodri sustained knee ligament damage.

ā€œYou donā€™t want to see players struggling with injuries. No one wants to see it," Son said Wednesday. ā€œA lot of games, a lot of traveling. Weā€™ve got to look after ourselves, which sometimes is very hard.

"Mentally, physically, youā€™re not ready. Then going on to the pitch and then the risk of injury is massive. Weā€™re not robots. Donā€™t get me wrong, we love playing football. Thatā€™s clear.ā€

Rodri has ligament damage in his right knee, City said Wednesday without giving a time frame for his potential absence. He was injured during City's Premier League game against Arsenal on Sunday when jostling with Thomas Partey in the box at a corner.

Son said he agreed with Rodri's concerns.

ā€œRodri said the right things. We play 50, 60 games and not more than 70 games. When the fixtures come, the players have to play. Thereā€™s a lot going on," he said.

Last week, City manager Pep Guardiola said it was up to players to force a change in soccer following the growing dispute over the congested schedule.

The Champions League has been expanded this season with two more games in the new-look group stage. Next yearā€™s expanded Club World Cup in the United States will be a 32-team event for the first time, up from seven. It is slated for the offseason for many major leagues in June-July.

The new Club World Cup format has prompted a legal challenge from playersā€™ unions.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou said players may make a stand.

ā€œThey may take things into their own hands. Theyā€™re the ones most affected to be honest, so you would understand if they started to think as a collective, how much are we going to have to continually not have a say in?ā€ Postecoglou said. ā€œI have spoken already about the fact weā€™re getting to a real dangerous level about what our expectations are around players. Instead of focusing on one or two tournaments, itā€™s about the calendar. That is more of an issue."

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer


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