Injuries are a part of a footballer’s life, and this reality has been on the showcase at FC Barcelona this season as several of the club’s important players have already been injured.
However, not all of the injuries suffered by footballers are football-related. This fact was highlighted when the Bayern Munich goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, got injured while skiing in December 2022. Now, with almost an entire year having passed, the goalkeeper is still yet to return to action with his club.
Neuer injury: a lesson for football clubs
The injury left Bayern Munich’s plans for the last season in tatters, as they lost one of the main pillars of their team and their first captain. The loss was made even more painful as the injury was unrelated to the day-to-day activities of football.
However, Bayern can be held responsible for this loss to some extent, as the German club does not have any clause to keep their players from indulging in these dangerous activities.
Barcelona forbid their players from certain activities
On the other hand, SPORT reports that the case in Barcelona is entirely different. The club has long been following the practice of introducing clauses in their players’ contracts forbidding them from engaging in dangerous sports activities or using some means of transport.
For instance, Barcelona players cannot use a motorcycle or cycle to travel. They are also not allowed to go skiing, skydiving, or engage in any water-related activities like jet skiing, waterskiing, kitesurfing or windsurfing, etc. Paddle tennis, which is a popular vocational sport, is also prohibited by the club.
It is not only the first team players but Barcelona Atletic players are also forbidden from undertaking such activities. Players of basketball, handball, and indoor soccer also have such clauses in their contracts.
Furthermore, Barcelona is not alone in this regard, and most other clubs also follow these precautionary practices, even those in the second division and the first federation.
