After Liverpool's run-in, Virgil van Dijk criticizes UEFA's "abnormal" decision.Virgil van Dijk has become the latest player to criticize the expectations imposed on players as they prepare for international duty in the UEFA Nations League.Virgil van Dijk has questioned the necessity of playing four Nations League games at the end of a long season.
The finest players in Europe, in particular, have had massive workloads, and few have been called upon more than Liverpool's centre-back. The Dutchman played a key role in Liverpool's quest for the quadruple, which ended in disappointment after near-misses in the Premier League and Champions League.
Liverpool's success, though, meant they played in every possible game this season, having won both domestic cup finals. Van Dijk, who appeared in 51 games for the Dutch national team, is preparing for international duty less than a week after winning the European Cup final in Paris.The centre-back has urged for more player consultation, citing the heightened risk of injury in the UEFA-led competition. "It's strange that there are four Nations League games after such a long season," he added. But it's already been determined, and there's no way to change it now.
"However, I believe that after a long season, there is a greater risk of injury during these four games." That must be studied, analyzed, and players, I feel, should have input into that (the fixture list)."
The Netherlands will play Belgium, Poland, and Wales twice in less than a fortnight after finishing second in the 2019 Nations League. Van Dijk will have a tough opponent on Friday night.The Belgian reiterated his opponent's remarks, calling the Nations League "unimportant" while emphasizing the obligations placed on players. He stated, " "The Nations League is unimportant to me. We have to play those games, but it's a sort of warm-up exercise. Everyone has had a very difficult season. We do what we have to do as soon as we get on the field. Then I want to be victorious. Apart from that, I'm not sure what else to say.
"We're not going to say anything about it. We can talk about vacations and rest as players, but we have no say in the matter. We do what we need to do, and that's all there is to it. Every 12 months, we get a little more than three weeks off.
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