Aston Villa chief Damian Vidagany has hit out at a Premier League fixture list that sees the club play two games away from home in the space of four days.
On Tuesday Villa take on Arsenal at Emirates Stadium – three days after winning at Chelsea. They will also have played Arsenal twice before they have even taken on Nottingham Forest, who visit Villa Park on January 3.
Villa boss Unai Emery said he could not understand why the fixtures had been arranged this way but writing on X, Villa director of football Vidagany – one of Emery’s closest allies in the game – went much further, appearing to hint that the quirk favours some of the wealthier clubs.
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United have also had two home games in this period.
He said: ‘Totally understand our manager. Why EPL (the Premier League) brings a match day from 2nd half of season before matchday 19 has not a clear explanation. I asked to EPL people and they didn’t tell us. So it is a mystery.
‘The fact is that, willing or not this makes more convenient the fixtures for certain clubs that are not travelling on this very busy Christmas period. I let you take a look which clubs are playing home both last and next match.
Ollie Watkins scored twice in Aston Villa’s 2-1 comeback win over Chelsea at Stamford Bridge
‘To make us play 2 away games in less than 72 hours will be never an excuse but we agree that is much better on the recovery side play twice at home and not travel.
‘We are not, for sure, as it is obvious, having any influence. It would be a disgrace if the fixtures become a political territory.’
Premier League sources say several factors are taken into account when drawing up fixture lists and that there is no hard and fast rule about how they should be ordered.
They also point out that the expansion of European club competitions has squeezed the calendar even more.
