Inter Milan's packed schedule shows strains FIFA Club World Cup puts on teams
Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu instructs his players during a 1-1 draw with Monterrey in the FIFA Club World Cup at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday night. (Gregory Bull / Associated Press)
It's been just 18 days since Inter Milan played its last game, losing to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League final. But a lot has happened since then.
The team parted ways with manager Simone Inzaghi, who led it to two European finals in three seasons, and replaced him with Cristian Chivu. It temporarily lost the services of forward Mehdi Taremi, who had returned to his native Iran earlier this month and became stranded there when Israeli attacks closed the airspace over much of the Mideast.
Advertisement
Then the rest of the second-best club in Europe traveled 6,000 miles from Milan to Los Angeles, where it opened the Club World Cup on Tuesday in a 1-1 draw with Mexican club Monterrey before an announced crowd of 40,311 at the Rose Bowl.
Read more: Commentary: Angel City takes stand against immigration raids as others stay silent
'We're trying to focus. And it's not easy every day, I'm not going to lie,' said forward Marcus Thuram, whose 18 goals in all competition was second on the team this season. 'But it's part of what we do, we love what we do and we'll continue doing what we do.'
Only doing what they do has become far more complicated and exhausting in recent years as the competition schedule for both club and country has expanded.
Advertisement
Thuram's father, Lilian, was widely regarded as one of the best defenders of his era during an 18-year career that saw him win two Serie A titles, a European championship and play in two World Cup finals, winning one. But he appeared in 46 or more club matches in a season just four times before retiring in 2008.
His 27-year-old son has done that in each of the past two seasons. And if Inter makes it to the final of the Club World Cup, he'll wind up playing 55 games in 11 months. That doesn't count his 10 appearances for the French national team since last June.
'We were prepared for that at the beginning of the season. It's not like they announced that at the end of the season,' Thuram, who came off the bench early in the second half Tuesday, said of the Club World Cup. 'We knew it was going to be a long season.'
But how long is too long? In their ravenous quest for revenue, soccer clubs, leagues and governing bodies have crowded the calendar with invented competitions that have drained both fans' bank accounts and players' energy levels.
Advertisement
The Club World Cup is a perfect example. Although the tournament has been around since 2000, before this summer it never had more than eight teams and was held at one site during a 10-day break in the European season. This year it's expanded into a 32-team, monthlong competition that will be played in 11 cities spread across a continent.
If Inter Milan makes it to next month's final, its players will have just a couple of weeks off before reporting to training camp for the next Serie A season, which opens Aug. 23. With the World Cup also expanding next summer, national team players such as Thuram could play more than 70 games in 44 weeks and more than 120 games over two seasons.
That's clearly unsustainable.
Read more: LAFC's 10-match unbeaten streak ends in loss to Chelsea at FIFA Club World Cup
Advertisement
'A serious dialogue is needed between FIFA, UEFA, leagues, clubs and players to redesign an international calendar that protects the health of players and maintains the quality of games,' said Giuseppe Marotta, chairman and chief executive officer of Inter Milan. 'With the introduction of the new Champions League format and the new Club World Cup, the workload on teams and players has clearly increased significantly.'
Yet clubs such as Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain (which played 58 games this season) and Manchester City (57 games) are drawn to the extra competitions for the same reason as the organizers who put them on: the money. The Club World Cup, now the largest and most ambitious global club tournament in history, is also the most lucrative, with a prize-money purse of $1 billion. The winner could take home $125 million, more than PSG got for winning the Champions League.
But it was forced into a gap in the schedule that really didn't exist before.
'It's undeniable that this event, positioned between two different seasons, is forcing us to do extra work and rethink what the traditional summer periods looks like for a football club,' Marotta said. 'However these competitions also represent a huge opportunity in terms of visibility and revenue, often exceeding that of traditional competitions.'
Advertisement
The Club World Cup allows teams to face rivals from other continents, expanding their international following and generating additional revenue streams by planting the team's flag in new markets and introducing its players to new fans.
'The goal is to tell the American public who we are and what values have always guided us,' Marotta said.
'It's not about proving how good we are,' he added of the tournament. 'It's about contributing to the development of global football.'
To accommodate it, Marotta said, changes will have to be made. For example Italy's Serie A could compact from 20 to 18 teams, the same as in the German Bundesliga and France's Ligue 1. That would mean four fewer league games per year; not a dramatic reduction, but a start.
Advertisement
Until that happens, Thuram said the players will continue doing what they do for as long as they can do it.
'It's about doing everything every day to prepare your body for these extreme games and extreme competition. Because soccer at the highest level is extreme for the body. It's tough,' he said. 'But we have a lot of coaches, we have chefs, we have everything that is set up for us perfectly.'
As for the game, Milan dominated statistically, controlling the ball for more than 55 of the 90 minutes and outshooting Monterrey 15-9. But it couldn't make that advantage count.
All the scoring came in a 20-minute span of the first half with the ageless Sergio Ramos putting Monterrey in front with a header in the 25th minute and Lautaro Martinez pulling that back for Milan three minutes before the intermission.
Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Times
29 minutes ago
- New York Times
Brazil expresses interest in hosting 2029 Club World Cup
Brazil has expressed its interest in hosting the 2029 men's Club World Cup. A statement from the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) said that its newly-elected president, Sami Xaud, held a meeting with his FIFA counterpart, Gianni Infantino, on Friday where the idea was discussed. The ongoing Club World Cup is taking place in the United States and The Athletic reported in December that FIFA was considering hosting the tournament in the same location in four years. Advertisement Meanwhile, James Johnson, Football Australia's chief executive, told the Sydney Morning Herald in June 2023 that his country would consider bidding for the 2029 hosting rights. Reports from Africa have also quoted the Moroccan FA (FRMF) chief Fouzi Lekjaa as saying his nation, alongside Spain and Portugal, would want to host the tournament a year before they act as co-hosts for the men's World Cup. 'It all started with an introductory conversation,' Xaud said, via the CBF website. 'I spoke about my goals as head of the CBF and said that we want to be closer to FIFA. I praised the event and the level of Brazilian clubs and, finally, I made the country available to host the next World Cup. 'President Gianni Infantino was very happy and said that it was totally possible. Now we're going to work to make it happen. It's going to be a great goal.' The meeting, the CBF said, took place at the FIFA Executive Football Summit 2025 in Miami. Xaud, meanwhile, was elected as CBF president in May, replacing Ednaldo Rodrigues who was removed from the position after a court ruling in Brazil. Brazil has four of South America's six clubs competing at the 2025 Club World Cup, in Palmeiras, Flamengo, Fluminense and Botafogo qualifying as the respective winners of the Copa Libertadores from 2021 to 2025. The Brazilian Serie A runs from March to December but has paused for a month due to the Club World Cup. (Photo of Flamengo celebrating at the Club World Cup,)
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Juventus Make £25m Move for Man Utd Winger
Italian Giants Explore Jadon Sancho Transfer Juventus have stepped up their interest in Jadon Sancho, holding initial discussions over a possible move for the Manchester United winger. The Serie A club have sounded out what a potential deal could look like, as they weigh up a formal approach during the summer transfer window. Advertisement Sancho, 24, remains on the fringes at Old Trafford following his public fallout with Erik ten Hag last season, which saw him exiled from the first team and sent out on loan to Borussia Dortmund in January. His time in Germany helped him rediscover some rhythm, but there is currently no pathway for him back into the United setup. Napoli Monitor Situation but Face Financial Hurdles Juventus are not alone in their pursuit. Napoli have also expressed interest in the England international, but any concrete move would likely require Sancho to accept a significant reduction in wages. The forward is currently one of United's top earners, with a salary package that presents a major stumbling block for interested clubs outside the Premier League. Napoli remain in contact with Sancho's representatives, keeping lines open should a compromise over personal terms become viable. However, Juventus are understood to be in a stronger financial position to meet both the player's demands and United's valuation. Manchester United Seek Permanent Solution From United's perspective, the preference is clear: they would rather offload Sancho on a permanent deal than sanction another loan move. The club are believed to be holding out for an offer in the region of £25 million – a fee that reflects both Sancho's age and the diminishing years on his contract, which expires in 2026. Advertisement There is no desire within the United hierarchy to reintegrate Sancho into the first-team squad. Instead, they view this window as a pivotal opportunity to recoup some of their investment, having signed the winger from Dortmund for £73 million in 2021. Player's Future to Be Resolved This Summer As the summer window unfolds, Sancho's future looks increasingly likely to lie away from Old Trafford. Juventus have shown concrete interest and are now in dialogue over financial frameworks and personal terms. United are willing sellers, Juventus are actively exploring the deal, and the player himself is understood to be open to a new challenge. The situation remains fluid, but movement is expected in the coming weeks. With United keen to streamline their squad and Juventus hoping to reinforce their attacking options, Sancho's next destination could well be the Allianz Stadium.
Associated Press
an hour ago
- Associated Press
Nationals bring road skid into matchup against the Dodgers
Washington Nationals (31-45, fourth in the NL East) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (47-30, first in the NL West) Los Angeles; Saturday, 10:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Nationals: Jake Irvin (5-3, 4.23 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 59 strikeouts); Dodgers: Dustin May (4-4, 4.46 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 67 strikeouts) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Dodgers -275, Nationals +222; over/under is 9 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Washington Nationals hit the road against the Los Angeles Dodgers looking to stop a five-game road slide. Los Angeles is 47-30 overall and 29-13 at home. The Dodgers are 37-5 in games when they scored five or more runs. Washington has gone 15-21 in road games and 31-45 overall. The Nationals have a 20-9 record in games when they scored at least five runs. The teams square off Saturday for the fifth time this season. The season series is tied 2-2. TOP PERFORMERS: Shohei Ohtani leads the Dodgers with 25 home runs while slugging .617. Will Smith is 12 for 34 with two doubles, a triple, three home runs and eight RBIs over the last 10 games. James Wood leads the Nationals with a .279 batting average, and has 19 doubles, 20 home runs, 44 walks and 56 RBIs. C.J. Abrams is 13 for 39 with a home run and two RBIs over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Dodgers: 7-3, .252 batting average, 4.65 ERA, outscored opponents by one run Nationals: 1-9, .240 batting average, 5.26 ERA, outscored by 19 runs INJURIES: Dodgers: Roki Sasaki: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Tony Gonsolin: 60-Day IL (elbow), Luis Garcia: 15-Day IL (adductor), Tyler Glasnow: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Evan Phillips: 60-Day IL (forearm), Blake Snell: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Blake Treinen: 60-Day IL (forearm), Edgardo Henriquez: 60-Day IL (foot), Kyle Hurt: 60-Day IL (elbow), Michael Grove: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Brusdar Graterol: 60-Day IL (shoulder), River Ryan: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gavin Stone: 60-Day IL (shoulder) Nationals: Andrew Chafin: 15-Day IL (hamstring), Dylan Crews: 10-Day IL (back), Paul DeJong: 10-Day IL (face), Orlando Ribalta: 15-Day IL (biceps), Derek Law: 15-Day IL (forearm), DJ Herz: 60-Day IL (elbow), Mason Thompson: 60-Day IL (elbow), Josiah Gray: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
