Given Adrien Rabiot is in the process of returning from an injury, AC Milan want to keep the midfielder in Italy over the next break.
There has been a lot said about Milan and their internationals recently, especially since the last break caused several first-team members to return at below 100%. In fact, 100% is probably slightly generous, considering the sidelined periods.
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Rabiot and Christian Pulisic were expected to be out for a month, whilst Pervis Estupinan is only just getting back up to speed.
Discussions with France
As a result, the Rossoneri likely request a lesser schedule for their players during this next break, and discussions have already begun with the United States MNT regarding Pulisic. It seems this will not be the only request, though.
This morning’s edition of Tuttosport writes that the Diavolo are preparing to discuss Rabiot’s inclusion with the French Federation, to avoid ‘unnecessary’ risks, as MilanPress relay. Given there were frustrations with his handling, this request is more than fair.
Considering that Milan offer the most internationals from Serie A, there is rightly some concern about the risk to their stars. Especially considering they return from the international break with the Derby della Madonnina waiting for them.
Can’t clubs just have their own season? Imagine if Milan pulled a player out of an international tournament to practice for the upcoming season? It used to be reasonable but it’s just gotten out of hand. Next year there will be a 3-4 week break in October AND a week break in November.
Well….there is this event called the World Cup, which some tell me has a lot of people who watch it. 😊
I do agree that players don’t have enough downtime during the year.
Well that would explain the particular intensity these breaks have carried sure but what does that have to do with the frequency of international breaks? The huge chunk of breaks next year will be after the World Cup happens. Yea I agree, the downtime is almost non-exsistent at this point. They have a “Nations League” now which means there’s never a down year for international football. Maybe Milan should request Pulisic return for a week during the World Cup so he can practice with the first team? FIFA would first off, say no, but they would be furious that a club even tried that. The clubs have been way too nice to international teams the last 10 years and it’s become abusive. The international tournaments do not support each individual league, nor do they compensate clubs. It’s not like FIFA is reimbursing Milan for lost revenue or helping pay Pulisic’s wages while he’s injured. Players can’t play for two teams. They can play for one team and then occasional represent their national team like every other sport ever. Only a few athletes in history have been successful at duel sports which is the only thing similar to this I can think of. But Dion Sanders playing baseball and football took a toll and ask Michael Jordan how that worked out for him? The body AND mind need rest. Players need 3-4 weeks rest between seasons. Every 2 years they would forgo that and play a major tournament. But every year with this is just too much.
International windows should be consolidated, so that there are fewer but longer windows. That helps everyone. Reduce travel, reduce disruptions to club seasons, national teams have more time together in a single block so they can train and gel. Three full weeks for international games in November, three full weeks in March, and if needed a couple of matches in early June after club seasons are over. During the three week breaks the first week can be spent training, then matches on Saturday, Wednesday, Sunday and Thursday, then back to their clubs with the next game being in 10 days.
Example November 2025: Leagues break after matches on Oct. 25/26 and players are off to their national teams. Then National Team Match 1 on Nov. 1, Match 2 on Nov. 5, Match 3 on Nov. 9, Match 4 on Nov. 13, leagues resume weekend of November 22/23. Same thing again in March.
So essentially you combine the current September and October windows into one window in November, and the November and March windows into one window in march. And then if necessary, a couple of more international matches can be scheduled in early June after league seasons end.
Yea, one 3 week window in the fall and one in the spring would be better. Like you said, reduces travel and fatigue and lets players acclimate slowly so they aren’t suffering a type of whiplash to their bodies. But leagues are businesses and it’s a great strain to take a 3-4 pause even if it’s just one time every other quarter. They depend on weekly things happening, it’s a giant economy of it’s own. Like I said in the comment above, I don’t see FIFA accommodating any of the leagues let alone the big 3. It also mostly hurts the better teams in each league while the smaller teams just get to keep practicing and rest. Milan have 15 or so international players from all over the world and each window we lose almost the entire team (particularly with this small squad) so there’s really no benefit to Milan apart from the advertisement for the club when the players go abroad. As a player, imagine you depend on routines, very strict routines and then you have to go a whole month of a totally different routine, it definitely affects your mindset and your performance. How can a player be 100% focused on something as difficult as winning Serie A when you have to take a month off and put her head in a totally different space then go back and reset it again.
Yes definitely becouse now we have how many every year 5,6,7 or something like that. But there were basically 90% of all injuries come from. I know you can’t just take them away but as you 3 week window sounds great
My concern is 3 for Milan, Xi always available for each match.
We have to make decisions with this international break because the last four points dropped is due to international break.
You may disagree, but the absence of Rabiot is obvious including Pulisic.