Atlético de Madrid CEO Miguel Ángel Gil Marín has put forward a significant proposal to UEFA, suggesting a cap on the number of LaLiga matches an individual player can be available for each season. The initiative aims to address the increasingly congested football calendar, a growing concern across European football.
Addressing Fixture Congestion
Gil Marín, who is also a member of UEFA’s Executive Committee, presented his idea at the World Football Summit. His proposal suggests that individual players should be limited to being available for 31 or 32 matches out of the 38 LaLiga fixtures in a season. This mechanism would require clubs to manage their squads more strategically, ensuring no single player is overused.
The Atlético chief has regularly advocated for this concept within UEFA forums, highlighting the need for calendar reform. The proposal focuses on individual player availability rather than reducing the total number of matches a club plays across all competitions.
Rationale Behind the Proposal
Explaining his rationale, Gil Marín pointed to the financial incentives that he believes drive governing bodies like UEFA and FIFA to continuously add more fixtures to the football schedule. He argued that while these additions generate more revenue and power for the organisations, there is a critical need to find an equilibrium.
Gil Marín stressed that this balance is particularly essential for larger clubs, which often compete across multiple domestic and international competitions, placing immense physical demands on their players. The proposal seeks to mitigate player burnout and potential injury risks associated with the current demanding schedule.
While Gil Marín’s repeated advocacy signals that calendar reform will remain a topic in discussions between clubs and governing bodies, it remains to be seen whether UEFA will adopt any form of his individual-availability cap.