EFL apologises as UEFA schedule forces Carabao Cup and Championship changes | OneFootball

The EFL said in a statement that it had been left with no option but to rearrange two Carabao Cup third round ties and a Championship fixture after UEFA confirmed Champions League dates, affecting five clubs.

Everton v Wolverhampton Wanderers and Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur have been moved back by seven and six days from nine September and 16 September respectively. Wolves’ home match against Portsmouth has also shifted from 16 September to 20 October.

On 28 August, Everton v Wolves was set for Wednesday, nine September, following consultation with local stakeholders. On Saturday, UEFA scheduled Liverpool v Atletico Madrid for the same night, and Everton and Liverpool cannot host on the same evening.

EFL officials met UEFA on Monday morning to explore options, but were told the Liverpool v Atletico fixture would not move because of the impact on travelling supporters. As a result, changes to the three domestic fixtures became unavoidable.

In recent seasons the League has already adjusted its competition to accommodate UEFA’s expansion, splitting round three over two weeks and adding draw conditions to limit clashes for Champions League and Europa League clubs. UEFA’s stance was described as frustrating, and an apology was issued to supporters of the five affected clubs for the inconvenience.

Source: Daily Echo

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