The 24/25 season has the potential for Manchester City to play up to 70 games this season. The UEFA Champions League has expanded and the expanded FIFA Club World Cup is set to take place at the end of the season. The opportunity for the players to rest is growing smaller every year. But Erling Haaland’s blistering start to the new season shows the benefits of the players getting proper rest over the summer. That fact hasn’t been lost on Rodri and Pep Guardiola as evidenced by their comments earlier today.
Erling Haaland’s start to the 24/25 season has been nothing short of remarkable. Haaland has scored 9 goals in Manchester City’s first four Premier League games of the season. Following his brace during City’s 2-1 win over Brentford last Saturday he will head into Manchester City’s Champions League opening fixtures against Inter Milan full of confidence. He looks refreshed and hungry to score goals. The fact that Norway missed out on qualifying for last summer’s European Championships has been Manchester City’s gain. Haaland having the summer to rest has seen him start the new campaign in supreme form.
READ MORE: On the pitch, a big week lies ahead for Manchester City.
Speaking during his pre-game press conference ahead of Manchester City’s clash with Inter Milan tomorrow evening Pep Guardiola was asked about Haaland’s blistering start to the season. Guardiola believes that bus star striker being fresh and bigger free has been a key factor. He told the media: “The difference this season is that after niggles, and tiredness in his body, this season he feels better… So far he feels clean, good here [in his head]… But game, game, game, I don’t know what will happen in two or three months time.”
Manchester City’s midfield general Rodri echoed the sentiments of his manager. Rodri believes Erling Haaland’s period of rest has helped him start the new season so well. Rodri told the media: “Maybe Erling Haaland is a good example (as to why longer rest is needed for players in football). He had a long break, and you see how he’s performing right now… It gives you a clue as to why we ask for this!”
How the players actually get the rest they require to perform at their best is a question that remains unanswered. Now that football has let genie out of the bottle it is unlikely that the fixture list will ever be scaled back. It is likely in time that the quality of the product will suffer as a result. Perhaps it may take something like a strike from the players for the games governing bodies to see sense. That is a fact not lost on Rodri. He told the media that a strike may be an option in the future: “I think we’re close to that (going on strike over the football calendar). It’s the general opinion of the players. And if it keeps this way, we’ll have no other option, I really think… It’s something that worries us. We are the guys who suffer!”
Summary
Erling Haaland’s blistering start to the new season is proof of the benefits of rest for the modern-day players. Manchester City have reaped the rewards of their star striker coming into the season in top condition. The hope is that the powers that be take note before Rodri’s talk of the players going strike becomes a reality as they tackle an ever-growing issue.
