Tournament veteran Manuel Neuer from FC Bayern sees the dangers of overload in the tight schedule of the national soccer players before the Winter World Cup in Qatar. For the first time, the world champion is determined in the middle of the season.
The big question for coaches, pros and fitness experts is: are the football stars more likely to be in peak physical and game form at a tournament during the game than at a finals held at the end of a grueling season? Or are you going to the World Cup, which starts on November 21st, rather exhausted because of the tight schedule?
“You’ll see. You can’t say that now,” Neuer replied at the German national team’s training camp in Marbella, given the lack of experience. Nonetheless, he is sceptical.
“I think the program is just very, very full. There are only English weeks for the teams that play internationally,” said the 36-year-old goalkeeper from Bayern Munich, who has played in all World Cups and European Championships since 2010 has denied.
26 competitive games possible in 15 weeks
From the end of July to mid-November, the Bayern professionals have 15 Bundesliga match days, six group games in the Champions League, two DFB Cup rounds and the Supercup against cup winners RB Leipzig at the start of the season on July 30th. Then there are two Nations League games with the national team at the end of September against Hungary and England.
That’s a maximum of 26 competitive games in 15 weeks. There is just over a week between the last Bundesliga match day and the start of the World Cup. There is no real tournament preparation this time for national coaches like Hansi Flick.
Neuer hopes that the high stress will not lead to failures at the World Cup. “It will be important for all teams that the players are also fit for the tournament,” said the 2014 world champion. Because: “The best thing about a World Cup is that the players that every football fan knows are there.”