Injuries cost Europe's top men's clubs €732 million last season, study finds | American football

Clubs in Europe's top five divisions lost €732m (£610m) in wages paid to injured players last season, an increase on previous campaigns and a figure recorded before the impact of an expanded club calendar.

Bundesliga clubs dominate the list of those with the most injuries, with a total of 90,547 days lost due to injuries in the main divisions of Germany, England, Spain, Italy and France. However, Howden's annual injury rate in European men's football returns disconcerting figures for all those competitions, as the debate over match congestion and player workloads becomes increasingly heated.

Although first division Clubs lost fewer players and minutes to injuries than their peers; For example, overall injury severity (the number of days lost due to an injury) was higher than in Germany, Spain and Italy. The average duration of absences due to injuries suffered by under-21 players was even more significant: 43.92 days, almost double the average convalescence in La Liga, 23.03 days.

James Burrows, sporting director at insurance broker Howden, said the report underlines “the increasing physical demands” being placed on professional players. “As match congestion intensifies with the expansion of competitions at national and international level, we are seeing more players sidelined for longer periods, with a notable 5% increase in injury costs this season alone,” he said. .

Regarding injuries suffered by younger players, Burrows said previous years' figures had been attributed to the effects of Covid on the composition of the team. “I don't really know what's driving that (today),” he said.

“The view in the insurance industry has always been that the older the player, the riskier and more challenging the exposure, because older players are generally out longer and don't necessarily return from injuries that younger players suffer. Much of what we see now seems to turn that on its head.

Howden acts as an insurance broker for various clubs and governing bodies. Its annual research compiles publicly available injury data and compares it to salary estimates made by the company Sporting Intelligence. The calculations in the fourth edition of their report record a total of 4,123 injuries in the five divisions.

Although the number of injuries is at a “record high,” according to Burrows, compared to just over 3,000 in 2020-21, the rate of growth has slowed, suggesting a “leveling off” after a boom in injuries. post-Covid injuries and the 2022 mid-season World Cup.

It was important not to draw “binary conclusions” from the data, Burrows said, as German soccer recorded the most injuries despite having an 18-team division and the longest winter break. “Some of this data will fit comfortably into the (overload) narrative,” Burrows said, “but there are other elements that don't really fit comfortably into the narrative.”

Another area of ​​uncertainty for clubs is the impact of absences caused by mental health or anxiety issues. Burrows points out that this is an increasing area of ​​focus for clubs and insurers.

“A big topic of conversation in our industry right now, and not just in football but in the sports and entertainment sector, is how do we develop products that address those types of issues,” he said.