Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, has expressed his concerns about the future of English football in light of recent changes to the Carabao Cup.
A new seeding mechanism has been introduced in an effort to alleviate fixture congestion caused by the expansion of both the Champions League and Europa League. This season marks the first time since 1992 that the Champions League format will change, with 36 teams competing in a league phase, increasing the number of matches from 125 to 189, thereby intensifying the schedule for top clubs across Europe.
To address concerns over the demanding fixture calendar, the EFL has outlined rules for the third round of the Carabao Cup, ensuring that teams participating in European competitions will avoid facing each other in the early rounds. Consequently, six of the seven European teams—including Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal, Aston Villa, Tottenham, and Manchester United—cannot be drawn against one another.
Ahead of the draw on Wednesday night, Burnham took to social media to share his worries, stating, “I worry about where English football is heading.”
Responses from fans on social media varied, with one user saying, “Hideous this. The beauty of cups in England is the fact it isn’t seeded. This is embarrassing.” Another commented, “I thought this was a joke at first.” A third lamented, “What a joke of a draw system. If the UCL clubs don’t want to play in the league cup, just don’t enter.”
Previous concerns regarding fixture schedules have also been raised. After reaching the FA Cup final last season, Pep Guardiola highlighted potential issues during busy periods, asking, “When we play the Champions League, it is the same week as the Carabao Cup. How are we going to play? Will we field the development squad?”
Guardiola further noted the unsustainable nature of the current demands, saying, “We are incredibly happy, but how many days off do I give the players? Two weeks off and then we start the season again. It’s unsustainable.”
Credit: Sport Bible
