'We're close' - Rodri warns exhausted players will go on strike as Man City star makes worrying admission

The 28-year-old played an exhausting 63 matches for club and country last season and believes the demands placed on top-level footballers have become unsustainable. City could play up to 17 matches in the expanded Champions League format, culminating with the final on May 31, 2024, if they go all the way. Additionally, the introduction of the inaugural Club World Cup, set to kick off in June 2024, adds another layer of pressure to an already overwhelming schedule.

Rodri, who is a workhorse in midfield, admitted that players may soon have no choice but to take matters into their own hands. When asked if the players will drop their tools at work, Rodri said: "I think we are close to that, it is easy to understand. I think it's something general. I think if you ask any player he will say the same, it is not the opinion of Rodri or whatever. I think it's the general opinion of the players. And if it remains this way, there will be a moment where we have no other option, I really think but let's see. I don't know what's going to happen but it's something that worries us because we are the guys that suffer."

It is understood that an elite player like Rodri could end up playing as many as 85 games this season if the manager decides against rotation. He has averaged more than 50 matches per season since joining Manchester City in 2019 and he believes that anything above that mark takes a toll on the player's physique and performance.

"I don't have an exact number," Rodri said. "From my experience, I can tell you that 60-70 [games a season]? No. Between 40 and 50 is the number of games in which a player can perform at the highest level. After that, you drop because it is impossible to sustain the physical level. This year we can go to 70, maybe 80, I don't know. It depends on how far you go in the competitions. In my humble opinion, I think it is too much."

The constant travel, intense training schedules, and lack of recovery time are leading to more injuries and fatigue, leaving many players unable to perform at their peak. City are set to play four games in the final 12 days of September, starting with a clash against Inter in the Champions League. They will then host fellow title contenders Arsenal on Sunday in a Premier League encounter and then Watford on Tuesday evening in the League Cup. They end this month with a trip to St. James' Park to face Newcastle United.