David Raya urges PFA to address fixture congestion Following the news that an Arsenal player will be out until 2025…

David Raya urges PFA to address fixture congestion following Arsenal star’s long-term injury.

David Raya has requested the PFA to reconsider the schedule following the announcement that the Arsenal player will be sidelined until 2025.

In light of the Arsenal star being unavailable until 2025, David Raya has approached the PFA with a request regarding the current schedule.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya has reached out to the PFA, emphasizing the need for action regarding the growing number of matches in the football calendar, particularly after teammate Ben White was sidelined until 2025 due to injury.

White has been dealing with a knee issue that necessitated surgery, keeping him out of action until at least the New Year.

This setback significantly impacts Arsenal’s title aspirations, especially as manager Mikel Arteta has already faced multiple injury challenges within the squad.

Earlier in the season, captain and key midfielder Martin Odegaard was absent for two months, while defenders Riccardo Calafiori and Takehiro Tomiyasu have also been unavailable.

Additionally, both Ben White and Bukayo Saka were forced to leave the pitch during the recent 1-1 draw against Chelsea.

In light of these developments, Raya has called on the players’ union to provide support in light of the congested fixture schedule, which will be further complicated by the revamped Club World Cup set to introduce even more matches next summer.

The Spain international expressed to local media outlet El Desmarque: “We recognize that the calendar is quite congested for teams competing in all tournaments, especially with the upcoming Club World Cup in the summer.

“Fortunately, Arsenal is not participating, but the risk of injury remains high. We players have discussed this extensively, and the union, specifically the PFA, needs to take action.

“We are counting on their support, and while they will assist us as much as possible, we understand that change won’t happen overnight.

“It’s important for people to realize that we are human beings, not machines, and an injury can significantly impact our lives.”

This season has been particularly challenging for teams, as they have faced a significant number of injuries.

Manchester City’s Rodri, a prominent advocate for reducing the number of matches players are required to participate in, has been sidelined for the remainder of the season due to an ACL injury.

In addition, the England national team experienced eight withdrawals from their squad this week ahead of their match in Greece, attributed to various injury concerns and players choosing to focus on their fitness.

This situation follows comments from Arsenal manager Arteta, who expressed his hope for relief from what he described as a “nightmare eight weeks” filled with injury problems.

He is optimistic that his team will be in better condition following the international break.

“What I’m hoping for is that after the international break, we have a fully fit team, that they are available and ready to play, because it has been a nightmare for eight weeks,” he stated.

“There have been constant doubts and issues, not just with those unable to play, but also with those who are.”