Like Rodri said — Barcelona star threatens FIFA, UEFA with strike

Like Rodri said — Barcelona star threatens FIFA, UEFA with strike

Faruq Ibrahim 08:54 - 20.09.2024

Barcelona's Jules Kounde has lent his voice to the campaign against fixture congestion.

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has backed Rodri’s latest comments against football administrators and the latest additions to the football calendar. 

The Manchester City star played 63 games last season for club and country, and that number is set to spike this season, with the expansion of the Champions League and the FIFA Club World Cup scheduled for the summer. 

Players have increasingly been vocal against the authorities, and recently, Rodri, one of the favourites for the Ballon d'Or, has threatened that players could soon engage in strike action

What Kounde said 

Kounde was another player who played a significant number of matches last season. He was important for Barcelona over the course of the campaign and then for France in the off-season. 

Speaking ahead of the Blaugrana's UCL clash against Monaco, he addressed the topic of fixture congestion, and like Rodri, he warned that striking was an avenue footballers could soon explore. 

“Every year we have more games and less rest,” Kounde said, per Fabrizio Romano. “We players have been saying this for 3-4 years now but nobody pays attention to us.

Jules Kounde of Barcelona| Photo Credit: Imago
Jules Kounde of Barcelona| Photo Credit: Imago

“The time will come when we will have to go on strike to make ourselves heard, as Rodri said.”

Meanwhile, Rodri’s media appearances has increased in recent weeks, as he is one of the favourites for the Ballon d’Or. In a recent presser, he addressed his nomination, and going head to head with Real Madrid’s Vinicius for the award.