'Probably useless' - Aston Villa anger revealed as Premier League and FA slammed
Unai Emery’s programme notes reveal the deep frustration felt within Aston Villa regarding their hectic fixture schedule.
Starting with this afternoon’s Premier League clash against Ipswich Town, Villa are due to play five games in the space of 13 days, leaving them with only nine rest days in that period.
Villa’s match with Liverpool was brought forward several weeks due to the Reds progressing to the Carabao Cup final, which further complicated the immediate schedule.
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As Villa only play one league match in March, the club requested that the game against Liverpool be pushed back later in the season, but the Premier League rejected it.
Villa's FA Cup fifth round tie with Cardiff City, meanwhile, was selected for a Friday night kick-off, just three days after playing away at Crystal Palace.
Here are some points raised in Emery’s programme notes…
“It is not easy to understand that in February we must play four matches in the next 10 days and five in 13 days if we count the Cardiff City matches in the FA Cup. This is less than 2.5 days of average rest gap between matches.
“When we thought we earned the right on the pitch to have two weeks with no midweek games, suddenly and with short notice the authorities advanced the Liverpool match. A match that could be perfectly pushed back in the season.
“We officially asked, but again we didn’t find any positive outcome. As an extra example of the lack of empathy, our Chelsea game on the 22nd, someone had the idea that it would be good to make us play on Tuesday the 25th vs Crystal Palace, instead of Wednesday the 26th.
“Surely, we are not the only ones to feel this unfair schedule and we are also aware that to fit in the matches with the extremely crowded international schedule is not easy, but common sense says that this schedule can be much more balanced and rational.
“As every other country is doing to protect their teams, the Premier League and FA must, for once, take care of us. By “us” I mean all the English teams who play in Europe as ambassadors of English football in international competition.
“I know people in charge are not concerned by our complaints, but they must not forget the players are human beings, and they need some rest and a rational schedule. There is nobody that can face with energy and safety, four matches in 10 days.
“Bad for the players, also not good to have the best show. After this reflection - probably useless as no one from the Premier League or FA will read it or consider it - we must be very aware of the difficult match we are facing today.”
