Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp said they should stop whining about pile-ups by Uefa boss Aleksander Ceferin

ALEKSANDER CEFERIN has told Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola to stop whining about the game plan.

Analysts believe the Premier League stars could face a “perfect storm” next season which could bring unprecedented injuries.

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Liverpool boss Klopp and Man City boss Guardiola frequently fumed about how many games their sides had to play last season.

But Uefa President Ceferin hit back, saying only underpaid “factory workers” have the right to complain about overwork.

The 54-year-old Slovenian said: “It’s always easy to attack Fifa and Uefa, but the thing is simple.

“If you play less, you get less money.

“Who should be complaining is the factory workers, who get 1,000 euros a month.

“Everyone wants more cup games, but nobody is giving up anything.

“The clubs wanted ten games in the group stage of the Champions League. You will have eight, it’s the right number.

“Domestic leagues should have 18 clubs but presidents disagree.

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“You should understand that two domestic cups are too many.”

Uefa came under fire this month for playing four Nations League games immediately after the Prem season.

There was also a huge backlash to the new 2024-25 Champions League format, which includes more games.

Klopp lashed out in the Nations League in May, moaning: “It’s one of the most ridiculous ideas in the world of football because we are now ending a season where players have played more than 70 games.”

And Guardiola hinted that after only a three-week break, players and managers would go on strike to protect their well-being.

With the Prem stars currently on vacation before returning to preseason, injury expert Ben Dinnery believes they should enjoy it while they can.

With the new season being punctuated by the World Cup in Qatar, he fears that next year football may finally pay the price for the ever-increasing demands it places on players.

Dinnery, founder of respected analyst premierinjuries.com, said: “When you factor in what has happened with the pandemic, the European Championships, Nations League games and a truncated pre-season with tours abroad, you risk creating a perfect storm.

“The requirement this season is to schedule another four rounds of domestic matches before the World Cup.

“Matchdays five and six of the European competitions have also been scheduled – that’s six more games.

“There will come a point when everything will collapse. That could be it.”

The Premier League starts a week earlier and finishes a week later to accommodate the five weeks needed for the World Cup.

But even if clubs vote for five substitutions again next season, English stars like Harry Kane will have to play as many as 23 games before flying to Qatar in November – 16 Prem, six Champions Leagues and one in the Carabao Cup.

Dinnery added: “These players will play in the red zone.

“This increased exposure from playing more games puts these players at risk of injury,

“With all due respect you have five substitutes but you will still use the core of your better players like Harry Kane.

“It will be up to the individual managers. Could they not care if a player does well for England or another country at the World Cup?”