Arsenal have been dealt a scheduling blow as their Carabao Cup quarter-final tie against Crystal Palace is set to clash with the women’s team’s UEFA Women’s Champions League match against Bayern Munich at the Emirates Stadium.
The men’s team secured their spot in the last eight with a convincing win over Preston North End, but the December fixture against Palace has posed a logistical nightmare. The women’s team’s UWCL match against Bayern Munich is scheduled for 18 December, potentially overlapping with the Carabao Cup tie.
To mitigate the issue, Palace’s Premier League fixture against Brighton has been rescheduled to 15 December, with a 2 pm kickoff. However, this change does not fully resolve the conflict, as the men’s and women’s teams remain poised to play on consecutive days at the Emirates.
Compounding the problem, UEFA regulations dictate that Arsenal Women’s UWCL match against Bayern Munich cannot be relocated or rescheduled. The Emirates Stadium is the only viable venue, as Meadow Park, Arsenal Women’s usual home ground, fails to meet UEFA’s stadium standards.
With tickets for the Bayern match already in high demand, Arsenal officials are under pressure to find a solution that accommodates both teams. A Thursday night Carabao Cup fixture has been considered and ruled out, given Palace’s Premier League match against Arsenal on 21 December.
The clubs eagerly await confirmation of the revised schedule, seeking to minimize disruptions to their preparations.
The scheduling conundrum highlights the growing prominence of women’s football and the need for harmonized fixture planning to avoid such conflicts in the future..
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