Rio De Janeiro, Jan 16 Former Brazil international midfielder Juninho has raised the prospect of a player strike in protest at Brazil’s congested football calendar.
Juninho said the Bom Senso player movement, created last year to fight for better conditions, has not been shown the respect it deserves from Brazil’s Football Confederation (CBF), Xinhua reported.
“At this rate we are going to have a strike,” the former Lyon free-kick specialist said during a press conference here Wednesday.
“If the CBF doesn’t listen to us, the championship will be stopped,” he said.
Brazil’s crammed playing schedule has long been criticized by the country’s players.
While most European leagues enjoy a three-month off-season, Brazil’s top flight footballers mostly play twice a week for up to 10 months a year.
Player discontent has escalated after the 2014 pre-season was further shortened to accommodate the World Cup in June and July.
