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MILAN – Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker said on Sept 16 players’ welfare is being ignored as more matches are played during seasons, ahead of the start of the extended Champions League. Liverpool head to AC Milan on Sept 17 in the revamped competition, which includes an eight-game league phase and a possible two-legged play-off before the last 16. That match at the San Siro took place after press time. “Sometimes, nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games,” Alisson said. “Maybe our opinion doesn’t matter, but everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody’s tired of that.” Liverpool could play more than 60 matches this season, having played 58 last term. “We understand we have the side of the media and TV, we have the side from Uefa, from Fifa, from the English Premier League and other domestic competitions,” Alisson said. “We are not stupid. We understand that people want more games, but the reasonable thing would be for all these sides that I mention and the people who are responsible for making the calendar to sit together and to listen to all the parts, including the players.” The Brazilian played more than 40 times last season for club and country, despite having two injury layoffs. “If you are tired, you cannot compete at a high level. What I want is to give my best in all the games I play. At the moment, it doesn’t look like we are close to a solution for football’s sake and for the players’ sake,” Alisson said. Earlier in September, global footballers’ union Fifpro called for safeguards to be introduced for players who already face excessive workloads amid a constantly growing calendar. Fifpro said the sport’s governing bodies were “failing to meet their duty of care” towards players by denying them sufficient rest and imposing extra games. It said that too many players were already playing too many games, but the possibilities for time off appear to only be decreasing. “We need safeguards for players to limit their travel, ensure rest periods, and provide adequate recovery so they can reach peak performance,” said Stephane Burchkalter, Fifpro’s acting general secretary. Liverpool coach Arne Slot said he could judge the new Champions League format only at the end of the season. “The only thing I like about it, just as someone who loves to see football, is that on every night there is a nice fixture,” he said. “But how is it going to be with two extra games for the players? That’s something we have to find out, but I don’t think anyone has the answer at the moment.” Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, who, with five, has more Champion League titles than any other coach, added earlier in September: “Sometimes something new can be good for the competition and for everyone, but what we struggle to understand is the increase in the number of matches.” AFP