Barcelona and Real Madrid oppose new international break

According to a report published by the Spanish newspaper 'Sport', FIFA's decision to merge the international break in September and October into a single three-week period has sparked a wave of criticism within European clubs and national teams, led by Barcelona and Real Madrid, who have expressed their reservations about the new system and its impact on player readiness and team schedules.

The 2026/27 season will see this amendment applied for the first time, with club competitions pausing for an extended period to accommodate national team commitments. This has led several coaches and officials to express concerns about the implications of frequent travel and the pressure of matches on players.

Joan Laporta, Barcelona's president, has been one of the most vocal critics of the current break, expressing his rejection during a meeting of the club's general assembly, citing the experiences the team suffered last season.

Joan Laporta pointed out that Barcelona lost the services of Raphinha in their Champions League quarter-final against Atlético Madrid last season, after the player suffered an injury while participating with the Brazil national team in a friendly match.

The president of the Catalan club stated: "This break period is meaningless. Hansi told me that the other day. A break extending over four matches harms us and disrupts our rhythm. The match schedule is extremely busy and the players are suffering. We will talk to UEFA and FIFA to find a solution to this problem."

Hansie Flick, the head coach of Barcelona, agrees with this proposal, despite his team's perfect start to the season, having won all eight of their official matches so far.

The German coach explained before the match against Sevilla: "Many players will be with their national teams. Of course, we always feel a bit of concern when players are away from the squad. But in the end, I trust the national coaches and believe in their abilities as well."

Real Madrid has joined the clubs opposing the long break due to concerns about its impact on the team's readiness for domestic and continental matches.

José Mourinho, the manager of Real Madrid, explained the extent of the problem during the press conference that preceded the Madrid derby, pointing out that some players will have to undertake long journeys before returning to the club.

José Mourinho stated: "We can only adapt. Imagine in our case that four players will stay with their national teams for 20 days. Then one will arrive a day or three days before the Villarreal match, another four days before, another two days... Vinícius will come from India with the Brazilian national team, and Valverde will come from Korea and India, traveling all around the world to return."

He added: "As for the European players, they will play four strong matches because we are talking about the Nations League, where all the national teams are at the same level."

Criticism is not limited to clubs, as Luis de la Fuente, the coach of the Spanish national team, has also expressed his dissatisfaction with the new system, considering that the previous schedule was more considerate of players' rest.

De la Fuente stated following the announcement of Spain's squad for the first four matches in the Nations League: "I don't like this system, and I preferred the previous format. In two matches, we have only two days to rest, with travel and logistics. I believe the previous system paid more attention to the players' health. It's quite clear."

In contrast, the positions of some European coaches have been more reserved, as they preferred to wait until the end of the break to assess the impact of the new system.

Mikel Arteta, Arsenal's manager, said: "It's something we need to try. As you have seen, different national teams and various coaches have adopted diverse approaches regarding the number of players included in their squads, so it will be very important to have good communication with them."

Enzo Maresca, Chelsea's manager, commented on the international break with a sarcastic tone, saying: "My children have school, so I need to stay here. During international breaks, I always review past matches and analyze what we can do better. There are three weeks, so I have enough time to rewatch all the matches."

At Paris Saint-Germain, Luis Enrique has chosen to treat the decision as a fait accompli, confirming that the coaching staff will try to make the most of the players who will remain with the team during the break.

The Spanish coach said: "We have to accept the duration of these breaks. We will try to do things as usual, and we have players who will stay here and undergo individual training programs."

Vincent Kompany, the head coach of Bayern Munich, hopes that all his players return from their international commitments without injuries or physical problems.

Kompany said: "We have the whole squad at our disposal, and we want to keep it that way. We hope the players maintain their readiness during the international break that lasts for three weeks. If they do, I am sure we will be in a strong position throughout the season."

FIFA's decision led by Gianni Infantino faces an early test as reactions vary among clubs, coaches, and national teams regarding the usefulness of the new break and its impact on player health and teams' readiness to resume the season.

Laporta and Flick reject the new system. Mourinho explains Real Madrid's struggles. Objections extend to the national teams. Luis Enrique deals with the situation as a fait accompli.