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Frank Lampard has criticized the Premier League and broadcasters for allowing Chelsea to play twice in 48 hours.
The Blues face Arsenal at 5.30pm on Saturday before facing Aston Villa on Monday, a game that begins at the same time. Saturday’s London derby will be televised on Sky Sports, while Villa’s visit will be streamed on Amazon.
The schedule gives Lampard a major headache as he tries to keep Chelsea in touch at the top of the Premier League.
The Blues boss revealed that Chelsea, along with Villa, requested that their match be delayed 24 hours, but the statement was rejected.
And Lampard said: ‘The fact that it’s two games in 48 hours is an important point for us because there are other teams that are challenging at the top of the league who play two games in three days.
“Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool play two games in three days. It is counterproductive for the quality of the Premier League, it is a risk for the players if they are going to play both games in a high level elite sport, everyone knows that.
‘I clearly know what happened to this one too because the games are broadcast live, like everyone else now.
“ We played Arsenal on Boxing Day, that’s there and our game against Manchester City moved to Sunday, so the schedule meant, and Aston Villa wanted this too, that we could have played Tuesday.
We both wanted one more day to play, but the Premier League and the broadcasters canceled us.
‘I know that sometimes you can blame the broadcasters and I know that together with each other, and this bounced back, it was decided that we play twice in 48 hours when other teams that are challenging at the top of the league play twice in three days, an extra 24-hour recovery.
‘I don’t see what a fair playing field looks like.
“I think it’s wrong and it won’t be the best for the players to play at their highest level.
“Don’t get me wrong, Aston Villa have the same problem, but I’m just saying we don’t have the rest period that other teams have.”
And Lampard admits he will have no choice but to make bulk changes for Monday’s game against Villa.
He added: ‘I couldn’t say what I just said and then hit the same team and expect to get great energy and a high level of performance from them, necessarily in terms of fitness.’
‘I think everyone who works in sport and talks to all the Premier League clubs, sports scientists, when we play now, it is the second day after a match, when we will play, it is a second day of recovery because it is not good. for players to go and even train from medium to high level, much less go play 90 minutes.
Everybody in the Premier League knows it, the Premier League knows it, so they have to inform the broadcasters. I will have to rotate players.
“I remember it from a long time ago, 20 years ago when I was at West Ham, so we have certainly gone back in time.
“In the old days they played back-to-back games, so for whatever reason, someone has pushed it back in time when we have the best product in the world and we want to see the best players on the field.
Source: m.allfootballapp.com
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