Premier League boss slams December fixture chaos with Leeds United trip ending eight-day nightmare
Leeds United could be Crystal Palace's fourth opponent in just eight days next month.
Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has blasted the football authorities after hearing his side’s December trip to Leeds United could be a fourth game in just eight days.
Palace are due at Elland Road for their final Premier League fixture before Christmas, which has been pushed back to Sunday December 21, due to the away side’s Europa Conference League meeting with KuPS on Thursday December 18. Glasner’s side have also progressed to the Carabao Cup quarter finals but now face a potential nightmare week.
Their Carabao Cup meeting with Arsenal is scheduled for Tuesday December 16, just two days before hosting KuPS, meaning they are currently due to play twice in the week between facing Manchester City and Leeds. If the schedule is not changed, Palace’s trip to Elland Road will be their fourth game in just eight days and their fifth in the space of 11 days.
"I can't believe this won't be fixed," a frustrated Glasner told The Mirror. "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.
“There are people who work on this and I would really like it if they talked together. 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.
Leeds United could benefit from Crystal Palace fixture chaos
"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."
The expansion of European competition has left little option but for Palace to squeeze those fixtures in, with Glasner’s side otherwise occupied during every other midweek to that point. There is also not much chance of playing in January, ahead of the Carabao Cup semi-finals on January 13, because Arsenal have Champions League fixtures in the midweeks before then.
Palace’s fixture congestion going into Christmas could, of course, benefit Leeds who host them at the end of a hugely busy period. Glasner’s side will be keen to add more silverware to their recent FA Cup while also feel they can go far in Europe, making it likely strong line-ups will need to be named against both Arsenal and KuPS.
With Leeds out of the Carabao Cup and not in Europe, they don’t have any midweek fixtures other than those that are part of a full Premier League round - the next being at home to Chelsea on Wednesday December 3. Daniel Farke’s side have a full week to prepare for Palace on December 21, with their fixture beforehand at Brentford on Sunday December 14.