Palace face three matches in six days next month, hosting KuPS Kuopio on December 18 before trips to Leeds and Arsenal on December 21 and 23, respectively.
FIFPRO, the global footballers’ union, recommends at least a 72-hour gap between matches to ensure player safety and welfare, guidance that has been ignored by competition organisers.
Both the EFL and UEFA are responsible for the congestion. Scheduling Carabao Cup quarter-finals for the week beginning December 15th, when Conference League matches were due, was a clear oversight.
The EFL gambled that England’s Conference League representatives would not reach the Carabao Cup quarter-finals — an error that hurts fans and clubs.
However, in the climate of increased European competition, it is easy to see why the EFL settled that week, as it is one of the few where there is no Champions League football to be played.
If UEFA scrapped competition-exclusive weeks and married up their calendar to ensure all European matches were played on the same week, then there would be suitable slots for domestic cup matches.
The EFL handed Palace a reprieve of sorts by moving the quarter-final to December 21st instead of December 16th, preventing the Eagles from playing five games in ten days. The cup tie now falls at the end of a run of three matches in six days. However, the Eagles will still have to play twice in 48 hours.
When asked about the debacle, Glasner said: “When we qualified with Frankfurt for the last 16 in the Champions League, I was invited to UEFA headquarters with all the managers, and we were talking about all the fixtures.
“This is when they announced that they will change the format of the Champions League. I said, ‘but then there are two more games in the group stage’. Everyone is talking about not wanting more games. What was the response of UEFA? ‘Yes, but in their countries, they play two cup competitions, maybe they have to cancel one’.
“What I would prefer is they sit together, talk about it, and find the best solution for football and for the players. But I think I won’t see this in my managerial career because we had the Club World Cup — it’s always more.
“I heard the World Cup now should be 64 teams. So it’s always more and more, maximising money. It’s not about the welfare of the players. It’s not about talking together and finding what’s best; everybody’s just looking at themselves to maximise the money.
“It was clear this week, before Christmas, that there is the Conference League and the English participant will play. So why fix the Carabao quarter-final there? Why? I just don’t understand.
“If there is a UEFA game day, you can’t say we play the quarter-final. It just shows. England is not alone, and Europe is not alone on this planet. So let’s talk together. But again, it’s maybe more wish than it really happens.
“I’m always talking about making mistakes as part of development. The EFL and Premier League didn’t solve this problem before the start of the season. They will learn from it.
“I’m pretty sure that next year they will have the solution before the start of the season. Maybe they needed this experience to solve it and not to rely that this won’t happen.
“If you make it a law that the players are not allowed to play within 72 hours, as is suggested, they will find a solution. But as long as they don’t have to, they will choose the easiest way rather than the best way.”
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