FC Barcelona Star Confirms He Supports Potential Players' Strike

FC Barcelona star Jules Kounde confirmed that he supports a potential players' strike during a ... [+] prematch press conference on Wednesday.

FC Barcelona star Jules Kounde confirmed that he supports a potential players' strike during a prematch press conference on Wednesday.

Manchester City midfielder and Ballon d'Or hopeful Rodri has been one of most vocal parties regarding footballers potentially taking action over a congested schedule which seems to become more packed every passing season.

"I think we're close to that [going on strike]," Rodri said in his own press conference earlier this week. "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."

Rodri noted that the sweet spot "in which a player can perform at the highest level," is between 40 and 50 matches a term.

"After that, you drop because it's impossible to sustain the physical level.... This year, we're going to go until 70, maybe 80 [matches], [it] depends on how far you go into competitions.

"I think it's too much. We have to take care of ourselves, because we are the main characters of this sport or business. Not everything is money or marketing, it is also the quality of the show. When I rest, when I'm not tired, I perform better. And if people want to see better football, we need to rest," Rodri concluded on this.

Ahead of the Catalans taking on AS Monaco in the Champions League on Thursday evening, Kounde stated that he agrees "with what Rodri said".

"The calendar gets longer every year and we have less time to rest. We have been saying it for three or four years and no one pays attention to us, the main protagonists are not listened to.

"There will come a time when we will have to go on strike because it will be the only way for them to listen to us. It is a risk and there are more and more injuries. Now the Club World Cup's coming - more games and less rest. We're going to have about 70 games a season. It's crazy," the Frenchman added.

In order to put their foot down collectively, Kounde demanded that the players have to organize themselves.

"If things have not changed yet, it is because we have not organized. In some countries there are unions, in France there is an important one.

"We need to organize ourselves so that there is a voice. When the message comes from a single person or organization that brings together many players, it is more powerful," Kounde further stated.