Uli Hoeneß has once again voiced strong criticism of the international soccer calendar. The honorary president of FC Bayern is anything but pleased with the new XXL international break and blames UEFA for the heavy workload on the players. The 74-year-old is particularly upset about the timing of the break.
For the first time, four international matches were played in a single, consecutive period this fall. The new rule sparked debate even before it took effect. Numerous club coaches criticized the long break so soon after the start of the season.
The international break also took its toll on FC Bayern. A total of 18 players were away with their national teams. Upon their return, Vincent Kompany’s squad had barely any time to prepare for the Bundesliga derby against FC Augsburg. There, the Munich team could not manage more than a 2-2 draw.
Hoeneß rants: “A disaster caused by UEFA”
On the sidelines of the Bavarian Sports Award ceremony, where Bayern coach Vincent Kompany was honored for his commitment to fighting racism, Hoeneß vented his frustration.
In an interview with BILD, the Bayern chairman criticized the European soccer association’s scheduling in particular.
“We’re suffering the most from the long World Cup. Our players returned late, and then the Bundesliga started on August 25. I think it’s a disaster on UEFA’s part to schedule a two-week break just four weeks after the start of the season,” Hoeneß railed.
In his view, the strain on the Munich team is particularly high. After the long World Cup summer and the short preseason, numerous Bayern stars had to travel back to their national teams just a few weeks after the Bundesliga opener.
The result: Their training rhythm was disrupted once again, while Kompany had to do without a large portion of his squad for an extended period.
“The clubs must finally fight back.”
Hoeneß was particularly clear when asked what conclusions the clubs should draw from this increasing strain.
“We had 18 players on the road, so it’s completely normal that we’re losing our rhythm. The clubs must finally fight back, because we pay the players, not their national teams. And all for a silly competition like the Nations League. That’s the joke of the year!” thundered Bayern’s honorary president.
In doing so, Hoeneß fundamentally questioned not only the scheduling but also the significance of the Nations League.
From the 74-year-old’s perspective, the clubs bear the financial and athletic consequences of the heavy workload. After all, they pay the pros’ salaries and have to deal with potential injuries as well as a lack of recovery time.
At least most of Bayern’s national team players returned without any major injuries. Nevertheless, the long break was anything but ideal for Kompany.
Will UEFA return to the old schedule?
Criticism of the new international match format isn’t limited to FC Bayern. Other coaches and associations have also expressed doubts about the wisdom of the extended break.
It remains to be seen whether those in charge will respond to the complaints and revert to the previous model in the future.
In any case, the next international break in November will be significantly shorter. Then, the national teams will once again have only two matches on the schedule.
Meanwhile, FC Bayern is entering an intense stretch with numerous competitive matches packed into just a few weeks. Following the draw in Augsburg, the team faces, among other things, Champions League matches against Viking Stavanger and Arsenal, as well as Bundesliga clashes with RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.
Given this tight schedule in particular, Hoeneß is unlikely to be alone in his criticism of the international schedule.