The Premier League is not intending to use the forthcoming winter break to play matches postponed due to Covid-19 outbreaks, but could offload fixtures during Champions League nights, i has learned.
The Football Association did not want the winter break to be used for rescheduled Premier League games after losing it last season due to fixture congestion caused by the pandemic.
But the backlog of games is mounting, with Burnley vs Watford, supposed to be played on Tuesday evening, becoming the 22nd Premier League fixture to be moved under the league’s Covid postponement rules.
However, the Premier League does not want to disrupt the winter break, set to begin from Monday, as it is an international break for other nations, bar Uefa countries, and competitive internationals are due to be played.
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It left a clear weekend on 29-30 January, but Premier League schedulers have not attempted to utilise that weekend to respect the winter break, which the FA fought hard to regain, and to prevent clubs having to field teams without players away on international duty.
Clubs have already been planning their timetable for the mid-season pause, with some exploring warm-weather training camps abroad and others giving players scheduled days off.
It is believed, however, the league will look to schedule some of the piled up fixtures during Champions League nights, provided Uefa grant approval. The European governing body does not traditionally allow league games to clash with Champions League nights, but it has said it is open to the idea and will work with leagues to help ease the fixture crisis.
Uefa said recently in a statement: “Uefa is aware of the difficulty of the situation and that the match calendar is highly impacted by Covid. As a general principle, the MoU [memorandum of understanding] applies, but we will, of course, discuss this issue with our stakeholders in order to find an amicable solution for all parties involved, in the event that a clash should occur.”
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The Champions League resumes in mid-February with four last-16 first-leg matches played on the Tuesday and four on the Wednesday. Those teams will then miss the following week, when the other half of teams contest their first legs over two days. The second legs will then be played over the next fortnight.
It means that even if one of the English teams remaining in the Champions League – Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Liverpool – needed to play a previously postponed match they could do so in one of the two weeks they are not competing in Europe.
And Burnley, for example, could have postponed games played during European nights, provided it is agreed with Uefa. Sean Dyche’s side, who have been worst-hit by virus outbreaks, have played 17 league games when some sides have now played 22. Burnley are bottom of the table but will move out of the relegation zone with a win and a draw.
It would be an unusual move, but it is not unheard of. Champions League nights have been used in the past to ease fixture congestion. Last season, Southampton travelled to Leeds United on the same evening Chelsea played Atletico Madrid and Lazio played Bayern Munich.
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3FFj6TR
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