Virgil van Dijk says call for change 'shouldn’t be controversial'

Virgil van Dijk says his call for changes around fixture congestion 'shouldn't be controversial'. The Liverpool captain has spoken out again.

There is plenty of talk around fixture congestion in football these days. Elite teams are playing more and more games, putting intense pressure on the footballers.

No one is shocked at the rise in injuries this season - it's a clear result of the increased schedule. This is something Jurgen Klopp has been particularly vocal about and it's reared its head once again as the busy Christmas period nears.

Liverpool will, as with other English sides, play roughly every three days. They'll then move into a 'regular' schedule in the New Year before international tournaments for most of their players in the summer. In fact, Mohamed Salah will be at the Africa Cup of Nations in January/February - something that had a huge effect on him last time.

Then there are the upcoming changes to the Club World Cup. It'll become a 32-team competition from 2025 and happen in the summer. It will increase the number of games for those already playing the most.

Klopp, though, is far from the only figure at Liverpool to speak out about the congestion. Virgil van Dijk has done the same in the past and echoed his thoughts this week.

“I have spoken on a number of occasions about the risks that an overly-congested fixture calendar causes to players and I stand by every word,” he said, per Liverpoolfc.com. “This is very much a conversation that football needs to have for the sake not just of those who play, but also for the game itself.

“This shouldn’t be controversial because everyone in football should have the best interests of the game at heart. It is just about finding the right balance that works for everyone.”

It's surely impossible to disagree with him? Unless the welfare of the players - and the game - is an overwhelmingly secondary concern for those increasing the number of games.

But perhaps that's your explanation here.