Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte has called it a, “strange coincidence” that his side has been forced to play against more rested opponents four times already this season.
Chelsea host Newcastle at Stamford Bridge at Saturday’s lunchtime after beating Swansea City on Wednesday night.
Newcastle, however, have enjoyed an extra day to recover and prepare following Tuesday’s 2-2 draw with West Brom.
Asked if he felt his team had been penalised by the timing of Saturday’s game against Newcastle, Conte told reporters, “Yes, I must be honest. It happened again. Newcastle played on Tuesday night, we played on Wednesday night and now we have to play again on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. [UK time]. It has happened again.
“I don’t want to complain, but … once it can happen. Against Watford we should have played on Monday and then they changed it to Saturday at 12.30 p.m. after we played on Wednesday [against Roma].
“Once it can happen. Twice it can happen. [Then] against Manchester City. The third time, you start to be perplexed. And now against Newcastle.
“I don’t want advantages for my team. I want the same rest as our opponents. Is it very difficult to do this? I don’t think so. I think now there is a strange coincidence.
“I want to protect my club, I want to try to protect my players, I want to try to protect my fans, also I want to try to protect the Premier League. Now we have 11 points less than Manchester City. Yes, but if you remember when we played Manchester City they rested one day more than us.
“We played against Liverpool, they rested one day more than us. Now again, in only 14 games [it has happened] four times. It is very difficult to think that this is a coincidence, honestly.
“I don’t want advantages, I want the same rest for my players as our opponents,” Conte repeated.
“Only this. If we have to play every two days, I’m ready. But we need to have the same rest as our opponents, then we will see what happens.
“If you give one day more of rest and when you play every three days, you have injuries and the squad is this, you can find a lot of difficulties. This is not a complaint.
“I spoke with my club and I hope my club will try to do something about the situation. I repeat: I’m trying to protect my club, I’m trying to protect my players and I’m trying to protect the fans and maybe also the league. Every team has this type of situation. But from start of the season, I don’t know, I see only Chelsea to have this type of situation.
“The Qarabag situation was incredible. Also if you want to do this it’s very difficult to do this. I want respect for my job, for my club, for the players, for the fans. This is the fourth time. I’m not stupid. If someone wants to joke with me I’m not the right person to joke [with].”
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