Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner said it would be “irresponsible” for his side to play two games in 54 hours in December after reaching the Carabao Cup quarter-finals.
Palace are set to face Arsenal in the last eight of the Carabao Cup on December 16, which would leave Oliver Glasner’s side – who host Manchester City in the league on December 14 and KuPS in the Conference League on December 18 – facing three matches in just five days.
Palace are hopeful of moving their match at the Emirates to the following week, possibly on December 23, but Sky Sports News understands Arsenal’s preferred option is for it to remain on December 16.
Glasner said: “Honestly, I can’t believe that it will be fixed in that way. I think it would be irresponsible for the players. And everybody has a responsibility for the players. And we have to look after their welfare. That’s our main responsibility – and not just at the club.
“When I heard it for the first time yesterday [Thursday], I couldn’t believe it that they are considering this. I’m really upset – because I spoke about this issue three months ago when I looked at the schedule. In the summer, in the off-season, there are people who have to work on the schedule. I would really prefer if they talk together. It would be nice if FIFA, UEFA, the Premier League and the EFL talked together because it’s not so surprising that this can happen. And now they’re finding something where you can’t find a solution? Get it organised and sorted before. This makes me really upset.
“It’s dangerous, irresponsible to say that you should play Sunday-Tuesday-Thursday. Which is Premier League, EFL and UEFA. Because its about players’ welfare from our side.”
Glasner, who was struggling to hide his anger with the possible fixture congestion that could see them play five games in 11 days before Christmas, added: “We could play every single day, we’d have the easiest job: we’d not have training, not do team talks and the players say, ‘let’s go’. But what really surprises me is I investigated what is common sense. There was a meeting in July in New York where FIFA met different players organisations and they suggested – FIFA, the highest board or organisation in football – a mandatory 72 hours between two competitive games. And now, they’re saying we don’t care? That is what really makes me upset, you can hear it in the way I’m talking about it.
“Again, there is a solution – the week after December 21 where we play at Leeds. And the next game is December 28. So there is one week. Then there is a huge discussion on why there is no Boxing Day games. They fixed all these games without talking to the other ones?
“We have to play December 21, we have to because we play on December 18. Then it’s Sunday December 28, they moved our game to January 1. Arsenal play on different days – so just wait for the draw which was a few days ago – and then fix the games. I really don’t understand it and I really push very hard and strong that they don’t let us play three games in four days. Because it’s irresponsible.”
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FREE TO WATCH: Highlights from Arsenal’s win against Crystal Palace in the Premier League
Glasner went on to offer up an alternative date, suggesting the Carabao Cup quarter-final with Arsenal could be played on Christmas Eve.
He said: “Playing it on December 23 after December 21 is the same. You have to move the game to December 20 and that means you have to move the UEFA game to the Wednesday. It’s the last game of the Conference League – normally they play at the same time everywhere. Then it would be nice if the EFL, UEFA and the Premier League all talked together. It’s their job and that’s what they get paid for. This is what I would expect.
“Play it on December 24? Two years there were two games on [Christmas Eve]. If not, play the game on December 26, move our game to Monday December 29 then you can play on January 1. Of course it also affects Arsenal and all our positions. That’s what I mean, wait for the draws to be done and then fix. That’s the best solution for the players’ welfare – not Oliver Glasner’s welfare – but the players. That’s why the fans are going into the stadium to watch these games. They want to see the best players on the pitch. It’s our responsibility for everybody involved.
“I expect that this doesn’t happen. I expect it. As long as they don’t tell us to, I don’t think about it. It’s irresponsible. If we have injured players, and Real Madrid demand a billion pounds for FIFA or UEFA for compensation, then we would have to demand compensation again. There’s AFCON as well. Maybe we don’t have all those professional players. Thousands of fans coming into the stadium, paying money, maybe it’s their first experience watching these games, you want to see the best players. They may not want to see us play with our U18s. That’s what I mean. I expect this doesn’t happen.”
Arteta hints ‘anything is possible’ if fixture concerns are not addressed
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Mikel Arteta joked that Arsenal may be forced to play on Christmas Day due to the fixture congestion facing his side, with the Carabao Cup tie with Crystal Palace potentially needing to be scheduled for late December
Last season, Manchester City’s Rodri said that players could strike amid an increase in fixtures.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta warned “anything is possible” if football’s rule makers ignore clubs over fixture concerns.
The Gunners secured their place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup after they landed their eighth consecutive win with a 2-0 victory over Brighton at the Emirates on Wednesday.
Speaking ahead of his side’s league game at Burnley on Saturday – with Arsenal currently in a run of seven matches in just 22 days – Arteta said: “Every decision that we make in terms of a fixture has to be guided on two main things; players’ welfare, and then supporters, and that is it, and the rest has to come very far away from that. And we should never forget that principle.
“If we have that big piece of paper with those two principles there in front before we make any decision, all of us in our industry, we won’t get there. If we don’t and we just ignore that, then anything is possible.”
Arteta continued: “If we look after the players’ welfare and our supporters, we are never going to get to that point [strikes].
“We have to close the window there. We cannot open that window. It has to be closed. It’s our most precious value. We have the best league in the world and we cannot just open any window for anything just to lose that because we don’t respect that, and we forget what we are made of and what makes this game and this league so special.
“And if we respect that, I’m sure we’re going to be totally fine.”
