Kylian Mbappe made comments warning of the European soccer schedule becoming increasingly busy and beginning to mirror the NBA season while hinting that players may need to be load managed.

"We're getting closer to the NBA model, with seasons of 70 games," Mbappé said. "Personally, I'm not against playing that many matches, but we won't be able to be good every time and give the public the spectacle they expect.

"In the NBA, players don't play every game and franchises practise load management. But if I said: 'I'm tired, I'm not playing on Saturday,' it wouldn't go down well.

"The spectator who pays for his ticket, and who may only see you once during the season, wants to see a performance worthy of the name, and that's understandable.

"I don't want to preach, but we need to think together about how to offer the best possible solution so that players, spectators and football's governing bodies can all embrace it."