Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca has voiced displeasure over what he sees as an unfair scheduling advantage granted to Europa Conference League final opponents Real Betis.
The Spanish side’s request to reschedule their final The Liga match against Valencia has been granted, allowing them to play on Friday evening. This gives Betis two extra days of rest before the final in Poland on 28 May.
In contrast, Chelsea are still set to play their last Premier League game on Sunday against Nottingham Forest, another team vying for a spot in next season’s Champions League.
That match, part of the Premier League’s synchronised final round of fixtures, falls just 72 hours before the European final.
Maresca made no effort to hide his frustration at the difference in preparation time.
He said: “I’m not happy, 100%, you cannot allow another team 48 hours more when you play a European final.
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“[Either we play Friday] or they play Sunday like us. I don’t know if it is from TheLiga, the Premier League or UEFA, but if you ask people in this room if it is normal to play a final where another team has 48 hours more to prepare, it is not normal.”
The scheduling imbalance has raised questions about coordination between UEFA and the domestic leagues. While TheLiga allowed Betis to bring their game forward, the Premier League mandates that all matches in the final round be played simultaneously to preserve competitive integrity among teams chasing European qualification or battling relegation.
Away from the scheduling anger, Chelsea remain struck by injury concerns. Christopher Nkunku and Marc Guiu are both back in training but may not be fit in time.
“At the moment, Guide and Nkunku start to take part in our sessions, but are still not 100%,” the Chelsea boss added.
Chelsea’s European hopes next season hinge on the next few days. A top-five finish in the Premier League would secure Champions League qualification.
Otherwise, a win in the Conference League final would earn them a place in the Europa League. If they fall short in both scenarios, they could find themselves back in the third-tier competition next term.
