English Premier League clubs to have February break

By Daily Sports on June 9, 2018

Premier League clubs will have one weekend off in February from the 2019-20 season.

The break will be split over two weeks, with 10 teams sitting out the first weekend and 10 the following weekend.

The FA Cup fifth round will be moved to midweek dates outside the period set aside for the break, with replays being scrapped at that stage.

The Football Association described it as "a significant moment" that "will greatly benefit club and country".

"It's no secret that we have a very congested fixture calendar and over recent years we have been working with the whole game to find a solution," said FA chief executive Martin Glenn.

Premier League chief Richard Scudamore welcomed the move and, in a wide-ranging interview with BBC Sport, said clubs would not be allowed to exploit the break by playing lucrative friendlies.

"There will be conditions around what they can do," he said.

All three divisions of the English Football League (EFL) will remain unchanged, with a full programme of fixtures taking place on each of the weekends where there is a break.

'We play too many games' - the players

Almost 90% of players questioned in a recent survey by Fifpro said they wanted a mid-season break, with an average preference of two weeks.

The world players' union surveyed 543 players from clubs in some of Europe's biggest leagues, including England, France, Germany and Italy.

Nearly half of national team footballers who play in 50 or more matches a season said they felt they played "too many" games.

Winter breaks are already factored into schedules of the top leagues in Germany, France, Italy and Spain, though they all take place between December and January, which is the busiest period for Premier League teams.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said in January that the festive schedule was "killing" his players.

Earlier in the 2017-18 season his Manchester United counterpart Jose Mourinho said the lack of a break was hampering English clubs' hopes in the Champions League.

However, former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger once said he would "cry" if a winter break was introduced. The Gunners played six games in 19 days during the festive period last season, the Frenchman's final one in charge.

The announcement means further change in the 2019-20 season, which will be the first during which Amazon will show Premier League matches. (BBC)

Source Daily Sports

Posted June 9, 2018


 

You may also like...
Salah Grabs Brace As Liverpool Go Ten Points...

PSG beat Man City to seal Dani Alves...

Anthony Davis Scores 50 In Lakers Win

Kaduna United Shut Out From Home Fans

Falconets bow out of FIFA Under-20 Women’s World...

Champions League: Messi gives Barca advantage over Chelsea...

 

Latest News Hearn slams Ngannou over Joshua defeat excuse Chelsea eye Martinez to replace Osimhen Visa unveils Amusan, Nwachukwu as global ambassadors I’m not under pressure to coach Eagles – Finidi Super Eagles focused on World Cup qualifiers – Omeruo Ibrahim: Striker who wants to emulate Lukaku at Chelsea Boniface ranked best African performer in Europe Napoli may reduce Osimhen price tag Mali beat Nigeria 2-0 in international friendly NOC commends Team Nigeria, government, media for victory at African Games JOF U-13 Cup: 8 Clubs Qualify For Quarterfinals Osimhen resumes training, fit for Atalanta clash

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (53,394 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (44,400 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (42,546 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (42,219 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (42,004 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (41,883 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (41,768 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (41,225 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (40,272 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (39,183 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (37,635 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (37,210 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media