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Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has again criticised the "jam-packed" football calendar, saying the fixture burden is putting players' health at risk. Rummenigge, 61, also serves as the chairman of the European Club Association (ECA) and questioned the future role of international football last month. "The football calendar is absolutely jam-packed," he told FAZ. "Players are being stretched to the limit and FIFA and UEFA carry responsibility for that. It can't go on like this. "Who needs an additional competition like the UEFA Nations League from 2018?" Rummenigge added that he was working closely with the players union FIFpro to alleviate the burden on the players. "It's unreasonable that national teams have to play even more friendlies, qualifiers and tournament games," he said. "Forty percent more internationals are being played now than in the days of Franz Beckenbauer. "We now have 24 teams in the European championships, and the World Cup will maybe soon have 40 or 48 teams." Rummenigge also bemoaned the fact that his club Bayern not only lose money when releasing players for internationals, but also the damaging effects of tournaments on players' well-being. "We lose a lot money at every Euros or World Cup," he said. "We do receive compensation for releasing players but, depending on the period we are without the player, this wouldn't cover 15 percent of players' salaries at a club like Bayern Munich. "And to rub it in, the players are not only tired but often return injured as well. I feel such a burden is counterproductive for the game and above all to the health of the players." "In my day we had a squad of 16-18 players. Now we need 25-30," said Rummenigge, a former Bayern and Germany striker. "If UEFA and FIFA go on like this we will need 40." Rummenigge promised that the ECA and FIFpro would actively seek discussions with FIFA to tackle the situation. "We are also against any World Cup expansion," he said. "This isn't a threat, but a way to start a long-overdue and necessary discussion."
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