Up next for Liverpool is an away trip to San Siro as they kick off their UEFA Champions League campaign against AC Milan.

This is a tricky fixture for the Reds to deal with after what was an abrupt halt in their early-season momentum last week as they lost at home to Nottingham Forest in the league.

Speaking ahead of the game, one of Liverpool’s key players spoke about an issue that is only getting worse.

Alisson wants everyone to “listen to the players” as fixture congestion gets worse

Ahead of his side’s opening Champions League game against AC Milan, Liverpool goalkeeper Alisson Becker spoke about, among other things, the increasing fixture congestion which is set to be further worsened by the expanded UCL going forward.

“I think this is not a question that I should answer. It is a matter to sit down all together, because we understand that we have the side of the media, the TV; we have the side of Uefa, Fifa, the Premier League, the domestic competitions.

“We understand that, we are not stupid, people want more games, but the reasonable thing would be for all the people that are responsible for organising the calendar to listen to the players… So many players have spoken already about that and we just need to be listened to and that is what we would like to do.

“Not only adding games, adding competitions, at the end what we want is to give our best for the football. If you are tired, you cannot compete in a high level. What I want is to give our best in all the games that I play but we need a solution for that, and it doesn’t look like we are close to that.”

Alisson, as quoted by Liverpool.com.

Liverpool face AC Milan on Tuesday, the first of the three days allocated for the first match week of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League.

Not far from the breaking point

For years, players have been bogged down with ever-increasing fixtures on the calendar, forced to dance to the tune of TV execs and high-ranking football administrators with their lips sealed shut because “look how much money you make.”

But money cannot buy you time, and regardless of wealth no one enjoys subjugation to a system that has no room for their own voice. For long players have been told to shut up and play, but we are now reaching a point where they have begun to publicly criticise the burgeoning calendar.

Alisson is the latest of already quite an array of high-profile stars who have at least tried make a point about the players needing to be heard. And he will most certainly not be the last. Rumours about next year’s expanded FIFA Club World Cup’s boycott may amount to nothing, but the fact that any dissent from the players’ side has been heard at all is sign enough of the fact that we are reaching a breaking point.

More Liverpool News:

• Arne Slot not ‘scared’ of Milan challenge as Liverpool seek Nottingham response
• “We need him”- Arne Slot addresses expectations of Liverpool star’s first XI availability vs AC Milan
• 3 individual battles to watch for when Liverpool face AC Milan in the Champions League

Worker strikes have been commonplace in other industries of late. Don’t be surprised if football gets hit with one too in the near future.