We all love a bit of sarcasm, and Alisson delivered brilliantly as he spoke out against the new Champions League format and how players’ opinions continue to be overlooked.
From 2024/25 onwards, the number of clubs in the Champions League has risen from 32 to 36 in the ‘league phase’ (formerly the group stage), with each team playing eight games in the initial stage.
In this new format, a team could play a potential 17 matches on the way to the final, in comparison to the maximum of 13 in the old format.
UEFA pushed through the changes by saying players and fans will enjoy being involved in big games every week, but they continue to take those who make the ‘product’ for granted.
Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s return to the Champions League, Alisson was asked about the demands of the new format and spoke brilliantly on the matter, even giving us a lovely serving of sarcasm.
“I think for the supporters it is amazing, more bigger games, big teams play against each other,” he said.
“For us players, it is good you are going to play against the best in Europe, and it is always a good idea to add some games to the calendar that is not busy,” he said before adding with a smile, “I’m being ironic a little bit.
“Again, we are here to do our job, but nobody asks the players what they think about adding more games, so maybe our opinion doesn’t matter.
“But everybody knows what we think about having more games. Everybody is tired of that, but we have to put those kind of things to the side and stay focused on the challenge we have here [against Milan].”
Having said “nobody asks the players what they think,” a journalist followed up on the Brazilian’s response and asked what the “appropriate” number of games per season would be.
Alisson turned it around superbly to add: “This is not only a question I should answer here, ‘ok, the number is 30 or 40’, but it is a matter to sit down together and listen to all the parts.
“We understand we have the side of the media, from TV, from UEFA, FIFA, Premier League and the domestic competitions, we are not stupid. We understand that.
“We understand people want more games, but the reasonable thing would be for all the sides I mentioned, all the people responsible for organising the calendar to sit together and to listen to all the parts, including the players.
“So many players have spoken already about that, and we just need to be listened to. That’s what we would like, to sit together and to understand the thinking of the direction football wants to go.
“Not only adding games, competitions and adding this and that. In the end, what we want is to give our best for the football.
“If you are tired, you cannot compete at a high level. I want to give my best in all the games I play, but we need a solution for that, and it doesn’t look like we are close to a good solution for football’s sake and the player’s sake.”
