Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag says the football schedule has “crossed the limits of what players can handle” as domestic competitions resume after another international break.
United face three away games in six days – Everton on Sunday, Turkish side Galatasaray in the Champions League on Wednesday and Newcastle next Saturday.
There will be two more group games for teams in the 2024-25 Champions League.
“Every manager is complaining about the schedule,” Ten Hag said.
Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel said earlier this week “the calendar is at the absolute limit, if not over it”.
Ten Hag added: “On Thursday I heard the statements of Thomas Tuchel, every manager, but still they keep adding games to the schedule.
“Next year they will add two more games and we have already achieved the limits. I think we have already crossed the limits of what players can handle.”
The European Championship will be held in Germany next summer, 18 months after the World Cup in Qatar. There have already been three international breaks this season.
“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,” said Ten Hag.
“You have to do it smart. Every team knows you have to suffer and sacrifice. If you want to prepare for games, at certain moments you have to go to certain physical levels to match those standards – and those standards are not set by us, but set by the opposition.”
Ten Hag on financial fair play
The United manager was asked about financial fair play rules, in the week after Sunday’s opponents Everton were deducted 10 points for breaching financial rules.
Manchester City were referred to an independent commission earlier this year over 115 rule breaches.
Ten Hag said: “It gives you limitations. You tell me ‘bring this player in’, but you have to match the FFP rules, in those rules you have to construct the best squad possible.”
“When you set such rules everyone has to match the rules because otherwise it’s not fair.”
United spent £170m this summer on Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund and Fenerbahce goalkeeper Altay Bayindir.
