Arrigo Sacchi, former Italy coach at the 1994 World Cup in the United States and currently a commentator for *La Gazzetta dello Sport*, has issued a caution to Juventus and Inter regarding the significant physical risks players may encounter during the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in the USA.
Drawing upon his experiences from the 1994 tournament, Sacchi highlighted the severe impact on player condition. “First of all, the climate has deteriorated recently, and that seems like an undeniable fact,” Sacchi explained. “Furthermore, teams are compelled to undertake extensive travel, meaning they won`t be able to train consistently. I believe that from an athletic standpoint, the players will be considerably stressed.”
He recounted the challenges faced by his own squad in 1994: “If I recall how my players were… At the conclusion of the first half of every match, regularly played under the scorching sun because we had to kick off in the early American afternoon for late European evening viewing, I consistently had at least four or five players requesting substitution. They simply couldn`t manage to stand.”
Sacchi continued, “The key to navigating a tournament like the Club World Cup? Organization is absolutely fundamental. The logistical aspect becomes paramount. Consider what it means for an athlete to be able to recover after sustained exertion. We did not have that luxury.”
Finally, he shared a striking anecdote from before the final: “Do you know what the masseurs told me before the final? I asked about the condition of certain players, thinking maybe massages could help… The doctors and masseurs responded: `Arrigo, there`s nothing left to massage. They have no muscles left`.”
Sacchi described the arduous conditions on the East Coast: “That was the outcome of staying on the East Coast, in temperatures exceeding thirty-five degrees, with tropical nights lacking any breeze. Do you know I couldn`t even go for a walk in the evening because after just a minute my shirt was drenched in sweat? I honestly wouldn`t want to be in the position of a coach participating in the Club World Cup.”
