We are on the cusp of the new 2024/25 domestic European leagues finally hitting the point of their big kick offs, and although those who were more recently on international duties for their countries continue to enjoy an extended summer break, the vast majority of players are now well into their pre season build up plans.
Friendlies are now being cycled through with players having already returned to training, and we have again seen a number of incredibly well known sides undertake long trips around the globe for more high profile friendlies. These games also serve to grow their overall brand acknowledgement in newer countries, reinforce ties with existing fan bases and hold significant potential revenue returns for individual clubs (and leagues as a whole).
This also means that we will inevitably, and quite shortly, be treated to a new round of well known managers bemoaning a bloated domestic fixture list, especially when their sides then have wider European competition obligations.
We have had these claims for the last few years, and with the leeway already in place, it is fair to say that the majority of fans (of all colours and despite their allegiance) tend to laugh at those in the game who use it as a regular excuse for a bad performance, or a defeat. Other good go to’s are injuries and a lack of time on the training pitch in those periods where game naturally come thick and fast.
On this topic, the English Premier League is very notable given the regular ramblings of Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp, Erik ten Hag and whoever is the current manager of Chelsea (it might have changed again by the time this goes to print).
So the most recent CIES Football Observatory study will raise eyebrows, as their most recently gained data admirably shows that on average (lucrative tours and friendlies aside), clubs are not playing more games than they were, say even two decades or so ago.
The CIES study again looked at 67 professional clubs across 40 of the main, or better well known, leagues on the globe, and if you focus in on a period from 2012 to 2024, the true statistics show that in the 2023/24 campaign, the average club played 42.4 competitive matches when compared to the 2014/15 season where the figure was 42.6.
Many will think that the data is skewed looking at the ‘average’ between 677 clubs across a 12 year period only, so let us go 2000 to 2024 and knuckle down on only those clubs competing in the prestigious Champions League competition.
Contrary to certain managers opinions, there is not the gulf in game growth that they would like to imply. In fact, the opposite is true.
In 2023/24 Champions League sides played an average of 50.8 games, whereas in 2022/23 it rises to 55.2, with 2020/21 coming in at 57.9.
Let us look at one of the biggest Premier League clubs on the planet, Manchester United. Last season they played 52 competitive games, but the CIES report shows in 2020/21 they played 71, and in 2008/09 it was 66.
The Red Devil’s fall from grace given their period under Sir Alex Ferguson is obvious to everyone, but the fact is only 4% of the clubs analysed played more than 60 games in the last campaign, and back in 2012/13 that figure was 5.1%.
Some clubs, the very, very top clubs with success each and every season may play a little bit more, but fixture lists are not as saturated as some would have fans believe. Those clubs who breach the average have access to greater revenue and greater squad options – it is still not an excuse as often used.