By Andrew Warshaw
June 12 – The full extent of why Europe’s clubs are so anxious about their players getting injured at the 2012 European Championship can be explained by figures just released by the European Club Association (ECA).
No fewer than 132 European clubs released one or more players to the tournament in Poland and Ukraine while 99 per cent of the players selected – 366 from a total of 368 – ply their trade in Europe, 58.2 per cent of them from clubs in the big five nations – Germany, England, Italy, Spain or France.
Bayern Munich provide the highest number of players (including captain Philipp Lahm, pictured above, left), 12, which perhaps explains why ECA chief and Bayern supremo Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has been so determined to bring about a proper compensation deal for clubs who release their players for International duty.
Twenty-two English clubs have released 80 players in total.
Three months ago, UEFA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the ECA, ending years of arguments over compensation and scheduling conflicts.
Under the agreement UEFA doubled its compensation payment for Euro 2012 to clubs from €55 million (£44 million/$69 million) to €100 million (£81 million/$125 million).
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