Star players not playing enough games

I'm in 2015 in my Leyton save now, and I'm beginning to notice a trend.

Over the last 5 seasons, Torres has played under 20 games on average.

Gerrard has played 23 games on average.

Rooney has played 19 games on average.

Messi 21. Aguero 26. C.Ronaldo 27.

These are all players that regularly play well over 30 games per season, and that usually feature in nearly every game for the team in the league.

And this trend continues through all teams, with almost all players. There are almost none who play over 30 games on average in FM.

What's the reason for this? Either the injury rate is too high, or the teams buy too many star players in the same positions. Or maybe ALL managers in the game rotate even their star players too much?

I wouldn't go as far as saying this is ruining my game, far from it (it's the crashes and shortlist bugs who do that). It is, however, ruining the feeling of realism, and the immersion, which is sad.

They are getting older and could possibly be picking up more injuries, also they will fatigue faster too so they will need a rest more.

I know Torres has been injury plagued in my save. Like in yours he is averaging under 20 games a season. It is fair enough though when you see his list of injuries. The others you mentioned seem to be playing pretty regularly though.

How not to rotate them, with the substitution / fitness bug not yet fixed?

They are getting older and could possibly be picking up more injuries, also they will fatigue faster too so they will need a rest more.

Nope, with the exception of Gerrard, the players I mentioned are in their prime. Not old at all.