Unai Emery Not Worried About Fixture Congestion Ahead Of Europa League Clash

By The Editor
on 3rd October 2018

Unai Emery refuses to play the ‘tough schedule’ card and is looking to attack fixtures head on…

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Arsenal boss Unai Emery is not looking for excuses regarding the piling up of upcoming fixtures ahead of our trip to Azerbaijan to face Qarabag, the boss told the press in his pre-match press conference.

A trip to eastern Europe on a Thursday evening is usually what Emery was hoping to avoid when the Europa League draw was made in August, as it often present predicaments we’re set to face this weekend.

Another away game in the Premier League awaits us on Sunday at Fulham, though the Premier League’s tv schedule has done us no favours by placing us at a 12 pm kick-off.

While Emery admits that he would’ve liked more time to prepare and recuperate, he’s adamant the team will be ready come Sunday afternoon to try and claim our sixth consecutive Premier League win.

“I had a very different experience when you play Wednesday or Thursday and then Saturday or Sunday,” Emery said as he bids to win his fourth Europa League title.

“There are very few days to recover physically and also the mentality of the players to play again in a few hours another match.

“In this experience, I won, I lost and I played better in the second match. We are one team with every player with this experience and also with the habit to play, to recover for another match and continue playing.

“It’s the reason, for me, that I prefer more time to have to recover physically for the players. But for me, it’s good and we are okay tomorrow with every player to play.

“We are going to be also perfect to play against Fulham on Sunday.”

It seems Emery is intent on drumming into the fans and his squad that the Europa League is a very important competition for us this season, given its passage to the Champions League.

However, no English team competing in a full season in the Europa League has finished higher than fifth in the Premier League – which would mean sacrificing our place in the top four.

Something for Emery to consider.