Oliver Glasner blasts authorities as Crystal Palace handed Arsenal fixture nightmare
Crystal Palace could play two games in three days in December after reaching the Carabao Cup quarter-finals, where they've been drawn to face Arsenal at the Emirates
Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner has labelled football authorities 'irresponsible' as his team face the prospect of playing two games in three days. Thanks to Wednesday's emphatic 3-0 victory over Liverpool at Anfield, Palace have reached the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup.
But that's presented Glasner's side with a fixture nightmare. The Eagles are scheduled to play Manchester City on Sunday, December 14, a Conference League match against KuPS on 18 December, and then Leeds on December 21.
But Arsenal, Palace's quarter-final opponents, want the tie at the Emirates to be played on Tuesday, December 16. Should Arsenal get their way, Palace would be forced to play two games in three days, three in five, four in eight or five in 11.
"I can't believe this won't be fixed," Glasner bemoaned. "It would be irresponsible for the players and we have a responsibility for them and we have to look after their welfare, but not just ours at the club.
"I was really upset when I heard it for the first time yesterday. I couldn't even believe that they were considering this."
READ MORE: Aaron Ramsey's Mexico nightmare ends as ex-Arsenal star rips up contract after losing dogREAD MORE: Arsenal given brutally honest Viktor Gyokeres verdict as Mikel Arteta deadline approachesThe EFL, who organise the Carabao Cup, narrowly avoided a similar nightmare last season. Due to the Conference League now being played over 10 weeks instead of six, Chelsea would've been in the same predicament had they not lost to Newcastle in the fourth round in October 2024.
Unfortunately for Arsenal and Palace, it's unlikely that a solution would please everyone. If the tie was moved to Tuesday, December 23, both teams would have just over 48 hours to recover from their Premier League games on the previous Sunday.
"I'm really upset but I spoke about this issue three months ago when I looked at the schedule, in the summer, the off-season," Glasner continued.
"There are people who work on this and I would really like it if they talked together.
When should the fixture be played? Have your say in the comments section.
"We have international games, the two cups and the Premier League. It would be nice if UEFA, the Premier League and the FA talked together because it's so surprising. Maybe now you can't find a solution, but we need to get it sorted.
"It would be irresponsible playing Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. But there is a solution because the week after, on the 21st [of December] we play Leeds and then we play on the 28th.
"There was a big discussion as to why there are no Boxing Day [matches]. Again, they fixed these games without talking to anyone. It would be nice if they all talked together, this is their job, what they get paid for."
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