Rudi Völler Criticises New Nations League Calendar

Germany national team sporting director Rudi Völler has voiced his dissatisfaction with the new international football calendar, backing Bayern Munich honorary president Uli Hoeneß in his criticism of the format.

Under the revised schedule, players spent three weeks with their national teams and played four matches during the extended international break. The change replaced two shorter breaks in September and October. Another international window is scheduled in around a month, with teams expected to play two matches.

Germany won only one of their matches under new head coach Jürgen Klopp, and Völler was far from convinced by the new arrangement.

“I don’t like this solution. I hope FIFA and UEFA will reconsider it and make another change, even though the calendar has already been confirmed. Playing four matches in a row simply doesn’t seem right,” Völler said.

Hoeneß had also criticised UEFA for interrupting the Bundesliga so soon after the start of the season.

“It’s an absolute disaster for UEFA to stop the Bundesliga just four weeks after the season begins. We had 18 international players, and it’s normal for them to lose their rhythm,” he said.

Bayern Munich drew 2-2 away to Augsburg after the international break, prompting Hoeneß to argue that clubs needed to stand up for their own interests.

He also expressed frustration that the interruption was being made for the Nations League, describing it as a “ridiculous competition” and calling the situation “the joke of the year.”