UEFA Rejects Crystal Palace's Request Amid Arsenal Fixture Controversy
The Carabao Cup quarter-final between Arsenal and Crystal Palace, originally set for December 16, has been rescheduled to December 23. This change creates a tight schedule, as both teams have Premier League away games just two days earlier—Palace at Leeds and Arsenal at Everton on December 21.
Clubs Oppose Fixture Arrangement
Managers Oliver Glasner and Mikel Arteta have expressed strong opposition to the new fixture date. Both clubs formally requested the Premier League to move their December 21 games to December 20 to allow an extra day for player recovery.
UEFA Rejects Match Rescheduling Request
In addition, Crystal Palace's attempt to advance their final Conference League group stage match against Finland’s KuPS from December 18 to December 17 was denied by UEFA.
UEFA insists that all 18 final Conference League group phase fixtures must kick off on the same date and at the same time (8pm).
Summary
The scheduling challenges highlight tensions between fixture congestion and competition regulations, leaving Crystal Palace with little room to maneuver.
Author’s summary: Fixture scheduling conflicts strain Crystal Palace's efforts to optimize player rest amid strict UEFA rules requiring synchronized match times.