Player injuries have cost Big 5 league clubs £2.3bn over past four years, finds report

October 16 – Injuries across Europe’s top five leagues have cost clubs a staggering £2 billion over the last four seasons, fuelling an increasingly hot topic over player welfare and an expanding international calendar.

There were 14,292 injuries across the Premier League, LaLiga, Ligue 1, Serie A and the Bundesliga from 2020-21 to 2023-24, according to the Howden Men’s European Football Injury Index.

The rising cost of the injuries was based on the reported salaries of the players concerned. Last season alone, injuries cost clubs a combined €732 million in wages

The survey charts the upward trend in injuries with a combined 4,123 during the 2023-24 season – a 4% rise on 2022-23 and 37% more than in 2020-21.

Injuries in Europe’s top leagues occurred every 92 minutes in 2023/24, costing teams an average of €172,975 per match.

Significantly the number has risen year-on-year since the index was first published in 2021 and the latest report said “it would be fair to expect a continuation of this upwards trajectory.

“The squad depth of clubs will continue to be tested, particularly with the impending introduction of the new FIFA Men’s Club World Cup in 2025.”

Players in Germany’s Bundesliga are most likely to be injured amongst the top five domestic leagues but the Premier League bears the most injury-related costs – a combined €318 million last season. Champions Manchester City recorded 57 injuries at a total cost of €32.3 million but Manchester United topped the list with a total injury cost of €47.4m. Chelsea had the highest average cost per injury of €640,000.

Within the English top flight, a pattern has emerged showing big clubs consistently recording higher-than-average injury levels, whilst teams closer to the relegation zone stayed at the other end.

The stats show that Bundesliga’s Darmstadt had the worst luck with injuries – with one occurring every 33 minutes –  while Ligue 1’s Toulouse reported the…

Source link : https://www.insideworldfootball.com/2024/10/16/player-injuries-cost-big-5-league-clubs-2-3bn-past-four-years-finds-report/

Author : Paul Nicholson

Publish date : 2024-10-16 15:13:00

Copyright for syndicated content belongs to the linked Source.