Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag believes top-level football has already “crossed the limits of what players can handle” as he prepares for a critical six days for his club.
United had made their worst start to a season since 1962 as they headed into their away match at Fulham on November 4, with eight defeats in their opening 15 matches in all competitions, as injuries continued to rob Ten Hag of momentum and balance.
Ten Hag believes the team are now on an upward trajectory after winning that match at Fulham and the subsequent home Premier League game against Luton, to leave them with four wins from five in the league.
They now face a hugely testing run, with a match away at Everton on Sunday immediately followed by a make-or-break trip to Istanbul to face Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday and another tough Premier League encounter against Newcastle at St James’ Park next Saturday.
Ten Hag believes modern football’s workload is already too punishing, with worse still to come as UEFA prepares for an expansion of its club competitions from next season.
“Every manager is complaining about the schedule,” he said.
“On Thursday I heard the statements of (Bayern Munich head coach) Thomas Tuchel, every manager, but still they keep adding games to the schedule.
“Next year they add again two games (in the new Champions League format) and the limits are… we already achieved the limits. I think we already crossed the limits of what players can handle.
“And then what we see now in the first 12 Premier League games, the physical standards are even higher in comparison to last year. You have a choice to make. Either you match it by training and preparation, or you drop off.
“So that is a decision that every club has to make, every team has to make, every individual has to make.”
Ten Hag refused to divulge how he managed it, but said: “You have to do it smart. Every team knows you have to suffer and sacrifice. If you want to prepare for games then at certain right moments you have to go to certain physical levels if you want to match those standards, and those standards are not set by us, but set by the opposition.”
The three road trips represent a real test of character for Ten Hag’s squad, and he is confident his players are capable of winning the physical battles against their opponents.
“We emphasised (to the players) in the last couple of games, ‘first get into the fight’”, he said.
“When you don’t have a left-back, when you don’t have a right winger, when you have to swap your team and maybe the routines are not 100 per cent working, make sure you get the foundation by getting into the fight.
“Make sure you run harder than your opponent, cover each other, (have) quick reactions, and that gives you a foundation because our players are very good. They have a lot of skills, they have a lot of abilities.
“So the football is always in there. Once we have our mindset clear and bright and we are in the fight, we will find our moments where we can do brilliant things because our players are capable of doing that.
“And I think we have seen that in the last couple of games and that’s why we have won four (out) of five.”
Ten Hag said left-back Luke Shaw would be back in his squad for the trip to face Everton after being out since August with a thigh muscle injury.
Striker Rasmus Hojlund is a doubt with a muscle injury sustained in the Luton match on November 11, while his compatriot Christian Eriksen (knee) will miss out.
Goalkeeper Andre Onana has overcome a knock he suffered on international duty with Cameroon but Jonny Evans (thigh), Casemiro (thigh) and Lisandro Martinez (foot) remain sidelined.
Ten Hag will himself be absent from the touchline after he was given a one-match ban for accumulating three yellow cards.
Kimmich ready to open Bayern Munich talks amid Barcelona speculation
Joshua Kimmich is ready to open talks with Bayern Munich over his future at the club amid speculation linking him with Barcelona.
The Germany international has spent nine years at the Allianz Arena, but he is due to become a free agent at the end of the 2024-25 campaign.
Barca have been repeatedly linked with Kimmich in recent transfer windows and are said to retain an interest ahead of next season.
Speaking to Spanish outlet AS, the midfielder talked up Barca - as well as fierce rivals Real Madrid - but fell short of saying he is open to a move.
"I want to talk to Bayern. When I do that, I won't go out and talk to the press about it," he said.
"I'm not thinking about this. I will speak to Bayern first. But of course, Barcelona and Real Madrid are amazing clubs with an amazing history."
Kimmich has played 37 times in all competitions this season for Bayern, whose last remaining hope of silverware is in the Champions League.
Bayern will face Real Madrid over two legs for a place in the final, with the first match in that double-header taking place in Bavaria on Tuesday.
Thomas Tuchel will depart the dethroned Bundesliga champions at the end of the season, with Ralf Rangnick the favourite to succeed him.
The managerial uncertainty is not helping with regards to the Kimmich rumours, but he insists that will not be a deciding factor on his future.
"It's not the most important thing right now," he said. "I know that when you sign a contract you don't sign it with the coach.
"You sign it with the club. For me, the most important thing is the club, not just the coach.
"But it's also important to know what the coach thinks about you and the team. Other people in the club can worry about choosing the coach."
Desailly calls on LaLiga to do more to protect Vinicius Junior
Marcel Desailly has called on LaLiga to do more to protect Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior and other players who have been targeted by racist abuse.
Vinicius broke down at a press conference earlier this month as he opened up about the abuse he has received from the stands while representing Madrid.
The Brazil international is not alone in that regard, with team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni another example, and World Cup winner Desailly wants more to be done.
"Vinicius has spoken out, but it's not about him - it's about LaLiga and the people who can take action," he told Stats Perform.
"We have the power to change things, but we are not doing enough. Samuel Eto'o had the same issue before.
"Vinicius is one of those who is suffering because the administrative people in charge are not willing to hit harder than they are."
Vinicius has been a key player for LaLiga champions-elect Madrid once again this season with 13 goals and five assists in 23 outings.
Desailly regards Vinicius, who scored the winning goal in the 2022 Champions League final, as one of the finest players of his generation.
"He's a very ambitious player," Desailly said. "I think he's improved a lot because he is now clinical in assisting and finishing.
"When you look at someone like Ousmane Dembele, his stats are not as good.
"Then you look at Jadon Sancho, Bukayo Saka, another who has improved - there is potential for each of those to get close to Vinicius."
Ancelotti: Real Madrid are never 'undervalued' in the Champions League
Real Madrid always feel respected by every team in the Champions League, so says coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Madrid overcame holders Manchester City on penalties in the quarter-finals to tee up a last-four clash with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.
City dominated much of the second leg in Manchester, yet after a 4-4 draw on aggregate, it was Ancelotti's team who got over the line.
Fourteen-time European champions Madrid, who allowed Karim Benzema to leave for Saudi Arabia at the end of last season, were not fancied to get past City, but Ancelotti does not think his team have been undervalued in this year's competition.
"Madrid is never undervalued in this competition, because everyone knows what we can do," he said.
"We feel respect from everyone."
City's Bernardo Silva called Madrid a "strange" team, a comment that left Ancelotti nonplussed.
"I don't know. We are not strange," he added.
"I think the weight of the shirt weighs in this competition, like history, but I have nothing to answer Bernardo Silva with.
"He is a fantastic player. Last year [City] had a good time and this year we had a good time. That's football."
When it was put to him that Madrid go into this tie as favourites, Ancelotti replied: "It does not worry me. We have confidence to stand up to a team that has not had a great Bundesliga season, but has knocked out Arsenal.
"It comes from eliminating a very strong team in Europe. In the Champions League, history counts a lot and that works in our favour."
Ancelotti has faced Thomas Tuchel nine times in his career, winning three of those games, losing four and drawing twice, and the Italian anticipates another stern test.
He said: "In terms of quality, they are strong in transition, they can play in different ways and are very dangerous. We are two who do not have a very clear identity. We can both play in different ways."
Tuesday's first leg also marks a return to Munich for Ancelotti, who coached Bayern between 2016 and 2017.
"It is very beautiful, a fantastic city, although unfortunately German has never entered my head," Ancelotti said.
"My son did, he learned very well. Munich is a spectacular city to live in."
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