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Arsenal and Tottenham's Premier League and Champions League fixtures have caused chaos with one group of fans set to impacted the worst
Arsenal and Tottenham are facing the nightmare of fixture scheduling drama as UEFA Champions League expansion and a new format play havoc with fan travel.
This is due to how the new UEFA rules governing knockout rounds work. Both Arsenal and Tottenham qualified for the last-16 due to finishing in the top eight of the league phase of the competition. They are both, therefore, guaranteed to face a side that makes it through the two-legged play-off round ongoing this week, while both will play their second legs at home.
Ahead of the Champion s League draw for the round of 16 on Friday, the Premier League warned that Arsenal's fixture against Everton on Sunday, March 15 may need to be rearranged.
A statement from the Premier League read: “The Premier League confirmed the above fixtures on 21 January (Fixture Amendment 14) and advised UEFA that clubs scheduled to play on Sunday 15 March would not be available to play Champions League fixtures on Tuesday 17 March.
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“Unfortunately, UEFA has not been able to provide any guarantees on its scheduling ahead of the draw. As a result, the Premier League now faces the possibility of rescheduling its fixtures at even shorter notice, at the inconvenience of supporters and clubs.”
The Premier League has not marked the Liverpool vs Tottenham game on the same Sunday for a move; however. The only other one is West Ham United vs Manchester City on Saturday, March 14 at 12:30pm.
Arsenal were due to face Everton on Sunday, March 15 at 2pm. However, this would mean possibly playing two fixtures in the space of three days, so the game is likely to be moved, potentially back to Saturday, March 14.
A pain for many Everton supporters who, with less than three weeks until the game, face re-arranging travel plans. Information on the Arsenal website has further confirmed that the Gunners’ meeting with the Toffees will almost certainly be pushed back.
In the statement, it reads: “It is a long-standing local authority policy that Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur do not play on the same day at home.”
With Spurs playing on Sunday and not marked for rescheduling, it means their last-16 second leg would have to be on Wednesday. Then it leaves only Tuesday open for Arsenal because of the pressure on local authorities and the principle that is in place.
The statement further reads: "UEFA would not consider use of Thursday 19 March for a Champions League tie." Meaning there was no chance of playing the game on Thursday instead.
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