UEFA Rejects Crystal Palace’s Request Amid Arsenal Fixture Complications
Crystal Palace and Arsenal are set to face off in the Carabao Cup quarter-final on December 23, two days after their respective Premier League matches against Leeds and Everton. This scheduling has caused concern for both teams.
Fixture Rescheduling Issues
The quarter-final clash was originally planned for December 16 but has been postponed to December 23. Both Oliver Glasner and Mikel Arteta have expressed strong opposition to the new date, as their teams play away Premier League matches on December 21.
Attempt to Advance Premier League Matches
- Palace and Arsenal have formally requested the Premier League board to move their December 21 fixtures to December 20, providing an extra day of rest for players.
UEFA Denies Conference League Reschedule
In addition, Crystal Palace’s appeal to UEFA to advance their final Conference League group match against Finnish club KuPS from December 18 to December 17 has been rejected.
UEFA insists that all 18 final Conference League group matches must start on the same date and time, at 8 pm.
Summary
The scheduling challenges highlight the difficulties clubs face balancing multiple competitions, with Palace’s attempts to gain more rest rejected by UEFA and fixture congestion remaining a key issue.
Author’s summary: Crystal Palace faces fixture congestion as UEFA rejects their request to alter Conference League scheduling, and Premier League rescheduling attempts remain unresolved.