Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has launched a stinging critique of the English Football League, accusing it of showing a lack of respect towards his team's involvement in European competition.
A punishing schedule for the Eagles
The Eagles have found it difficult to regain their rhythm in domestic matches following European commitments this season. Statistics reveal they have managed just one victory in the eight games played directly after their Conference League fixtures.
Palace's immediate challenge is a Carabao Cup quarter-final clash against Arsenal on Tuesday evening. This match was rescheduled by the EFL and takes place a week later than the other last-eight ties, due to Palace facing Finnish side Kups last Thursday.
This change, however, is at the heart of Glasner's frustration. It has contributed to a severe fixture pile-up for his squad. The sequence saw them play Manchester City just four days before the European tie, then travel to face Leeds United a mere two days after returning from Finland.
Glasner's pointed comparison to elite competitions
Following a 4-1 defeat at Leeds, the Austrian coach did not hold back. He argued that the demands placed on his side would not be imposed on clubs in more prestigious European tournaments.
'This is the only criticism for me to the EFL,' Glasner stated. 'I think to fix a round when a Conference League is played just shows also the [lack of] respect for the Conference League because they would never fix a round when there is a Champions League round or a Europa League round.'
He directly linked this scheduling to the team's current predicament: 'So I think that's maybe the problem for the game we have to play now, and why we have to play in three days again.'
No complaint about volume, but a plea for fairness
Glasner was keen to clarify that his issue is not with the number of games, but with the perceived inequity in how they are scheduled. 'It shows that we are in four competitions and we want these games, we want this amount of games, and it's not to complain about it. We are never complaining about the amount of games,' he emphasised.
The relentless schedule shows no sign of easing. The Leeds match was Palace's fourth in ten days. They now host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, which begins another gruelling run of four matches in the space of eleven days.
The EFL has previously voiced its own concerns, criticising the 'expansion of European cup competitions'. In a statement last November, the league said this expansion was advanced 'without adequate consultation with domestic leagues'. It also stated that scheduling conflicts are 'now entirely unavoidable' despite a 'willingness to compromise'.
