Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha has urged the footballing authorities to introduce more rest periods during the season to prevent players picking up injuries.
Speaking to Radio Renascença whilst on international duty with Portugal, Palhinha said:
“There have been more injuries this season than others. It is difficult to prevent so many injuries with so many games, even with clubs in excellent conditions. You have to be aware when a certain limit is exceeded and think about the player’s physical health. Several people have already mentioned this issue, but, unfortunately, it has not yet had any impact. We need to think about periods of games, travel and that makes us reach a point of great physical exhaustion.”
The holding midfielder, who has played 2,433 minutes in 30 matches for Fulham so far this season, complimented his national federation on ensuring the Portuguese side was regularly rotated to allow key players some recuperation.
“This allows us to have some rest, although in the national team the situation is different. When we arrive here and wear our country’s shirt, the tiredness is a little behind.”
