Chelsea manager, Enzo Maresca, says he is “not happy” that adversaries Real Betis had two additional preparation for the final of the next week’s conference league.
La Liga accepted a Betis request to present its last championship match against Valence – initially scheduled for Sunday – forward for Friday evening (8:00 p.m. BST).
Chelsea, on the other hand, will go to Nottingham Forest – who, like the Blues, continue football in the Champions League – Sunday, three days before the final in Wroclaw, Poland, Wednesday, May 28.
The final of the Premier League games on Sunday must all start at the same time (4:00 p.m. BST) to prevent any team from winning an unfair advantage over its rivals.
But Maresca said: “I’m not happy, 100%, you cannot authorize another team 48 hours more when you play a European final.
“(Either we play Friday), or they play on Sunday as us. I do not know if it is liga, the Premier League or UEFA, but if you ask people of this room if it is normal to play a final where another team is 48 hours older to prepare, it is not normal.”
