Glasner: Palace Could Play Four Matches in Eight Days

Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner warned his side face a severe festive fixture crunch that could see them play as many as four matches in eight days, with some teams left only 48–54 hours between games. The congestion stems from limited available dates because London clubs' European commitments — Arsenal in the Champions League and Palace in the Europa Conference League — and precedent of midweek double-headers. Palace asked to move their Carabao Cup quarter-final at Arsenal from Dec. 16 to Dec. 23, but Arsenal prefer to keep the original date, leaving little room to avoid tight turnarounds. Glasner cited a FIFA-backed 72-hour minimum rest recommendation, said he raised concerns three months ago, and urged the Premier League, UEFA, FIFA, the FA and EFL to coordinate scheduling and prioritize player welfare. He criticised the disconnect between public welfare discussions and scheduling decisions and demanded meaningful reform to prevent dangerous pile-ups before Christmas.