Rummenigge demands changes to fixture calendar

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge warned Monday that Europe’s clubs may take legal action against FIFA unless changes are made to the football calendar.

Rummenigge, president of the European Club Association (ECA), is proposing an eight-month club season for European competitions and then two separate months when players can be released for international duty.

The proposals have emerged amid a growing conflict between Europe’s clubs and FIFA, world football’s governing body, over when players should be released for international duty.

Under FIFA’s current statutes, clubs must make their players available during the various windows throughout the year when internationals can be played, but the clubs want more say in when they release their players.

Clubs also want insurance policies so they are compensated if players are injured on international duty.

“FIFA must change their statutes,” Rummenigge told German magazine Kicker.

“We, as employers, can no longer accept that we just receive an order informing us that we must allow our players to play free of charge.

“If we do not reach a consensus, action will be taken and FIFA will then need to rely on God,” he warned.

Rummenigge is confident the clubs would “have a resounding victory” if the matter were to go before the European Court of Justice (ECJ), but says he is sceptical an amicable solution could be found.

The matter is of particular interest to Bayern. The German giants lost the services of Netherlands playmaker Arjen Robben for the first half of the season after he returned from the World Cup with a thigh injury.

Bayern are chasing compensation from the Dutch Football Association (KNVB) and Rummenigge has said in the future the clubs will “defend their rights with greater determination”.

Rummenigge also wants to see a two-month break, including a four-week holiday and four weeks of training, incorporated into the season across Europe.

Rummenigge is also proposing taking advantage of warmer weather during the summer European months of June, July and August.

“It is a little crazy in the Bundesliga that we waste the best time of year between June and August,” he said.