Teams have to be sensible with players because of condensed schedule, admits Kevin De Bruyne

With the 2020/21 season just around the corner, many players and fans alike are concerned about the congested schedule, with games flying in left, right and center. Furthermore, the season, for many, won’t end until mid-July with the Euro 2020 set to take place then which is more cause for concern for teams across Europe. Not only that, but the break between the extended 2019/20 season and the 2020/21 season is also shorter than ever which could put a serious strain on footballers.

That has seen many speak out about the congested campaign and how measures should be taken for players with Kevin De Bruyne the latest in the line. The newly crowned PFA Player of the Year for the 2019/20 season admitted, in a recent interview, that teams need to be more sensible and manage their players properly to help keep them at their best. The Belgian, who will also play a big role for his country at the Euros, further added that the players themselves can’t be afraid to speak out and ask for rest.

“I’m just looking at my perspective. I can’t travel or go on holiday with my Mrs being due [with their third child]. We had other things that were important. But basically, we have been playing since last July. Obviously, we had a break with the pandemic, but personally I was training every day, so my mindset was still going, going, going. We have another year coming. It will not stop before the next August,” De Bruyne told CityTV.

"We will see how we manage. Every team is going to have to be sensible. If you see fatigue, even mentally, people should not be afraid to say that. Sometimes it’s better to have a week off and come back refreshed than go and play through physical pain or mental tiredness. That’s something that will happen during the year – maybe I will be fine – but there’s a chance you can get tired because of the amount of games we play in a short space of time.”