Published 00:25 IST, November 6th 2019
Liverpool to play two matches in two days in two different continents
Liverpool will have an intense run of matches in December with the league cup announcement confirming that the Merseyside club will play two matches in two days
The EFL has announced that Liverpool and Aston Villa will be playing their Carabao Cup quarterfinals match on December 17, the previously scheduled day of the match. This means that Jurgen Klopp's side will be playing in two different competitions on two consecutive days in two different continents. A statement by EFL revealed that Liverpool requested for the tie to be rehashed and played on the original date as planned.
2 days 2 matches 2 continents 2 teams
The Merseyside club will be competing in the Club World Cup in Qatar since they are the winners of the Champions League and will also be playing in the Carabao Cup after defeating Arsenal last week. The Club World Cup match is scheduled to be played on December 18.
The EFL's Football Services Director, Dave Cookson said, "The EFL has long-acknowledged that this competition provides those Clubs with large resources with the opportunity to rotate their squads knowing that teams who wish to be successful have to be prepared to play a large number of matches over the course of the season."
He further went on to add that they recognise the challenges faced by clubs who are a part of multiple competitions. "We recognise the challenges Liverpool face in this matter and appreciate the efforts made to find a practical solution. Finally, I would like to wish the Club well in representing the English game at the upcoming FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar.”
Liverpool, in a statement, said, "We will be utilising two playing squads simultaneously, with one squad participating in the FIFA Club World Cup in Qatar and another in the Carabao Cup. The club would like to take this opportunity to underline that while this is not an ideal scenario, it is an outcome which was arrived at with the best interests of the competition, our fellow clubs and ourselves as the sole motivating factor. We would like to thank the EFL for their efforts to accommodate us and we can confirm alternative dates were discussed, but ultimately none were considered suitable without compromising the scheduling of the competition itself or placing an undue strain on our playing staff."
Updated 03:45 IST, November 6th 2019