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Virgil van Dijk has again expressed his concern over the growing fixture schedule and admitted he is “very worried” about the next generation of players.
It’s a recurring topic for the Liverpool defender, who has encouraged younger players to avoid social media altogether to support their mental well-being. Van Dijk has also championed a less condensed calendar, given his worries about the physical load players are dealing with.
The 34-year-old has already played 52 games this season for club and country - no Liverpool player has featured more than his 45 appearances this term - and the majority have been 90-minute outings.
He again played the full match on Friday as the Netherlands beat Norway 2-1 in Amsterdam, with the captain even getting on the scoresheet.
He could play another 15 matches at club level before the end of the season and face the World Cup in North America this summer, and the physical demands are clearly a major concern for the ex-Southampton man.
“It is intense,” he told Norwegian outlet Stavanger Aftenblad after the Netherlands’ win on Friday.
“What can I say? I think it has been said by several people that if we continue like this, the quality of football will decrease due to the number of matches played.
“I’m not the youngest anymore, but for the new generation it will be very interesting to see how it goes.
“That’s because there are a lot of young players playing at the absolute highest level. They have already played so many games.
“That’s another discussion that I don’t want to go into now. However, I’m definitely aware of the mental aspect, and that’s something that I find very worrying.”
One player who was given the night off on Friday was Erling Haaland. The Manchester City forward was afforded a rare rest, and Stale Solbakken’s decision could have direct ramifications for Van Dijk, who is set to face the prolific Norwegian on Saturday at the Etihad.
“We spoke a couple of weeks ago, and we both expected him to play today,” said Van Dijk.
“The coach decided with him that he should be rested, and I can understand that, because there are so many matches these days.”
Liverpool travels to City for Saturday’s early kick-off in the FA Cup. The tournament represents the Reds’ best chance of winning silverware this season, although Arne Slot’s side still holds faint hopes in the Champions League.
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