Edy Reja has criticised the Italian League for only helping teams in the Champions League with fixture congestion.
Speaking on Monday in reflection of seeing his side sit joint top of the League, Reja has taken the opportunity to criticise the League's fixture arrangement.
Edy Reja has criticised the Italian League for only helping teams in the Champions League with fixture congestion.
Speaking on Monday in reflection of seeing his side sit joint top of the League, Reja has taken the opportunity to criticise the League's fixture arrangement.
Napoli, Inter and Milan have had played fixtures on Friday and Saturday evenings for weekends preceding European exertions in the Champions League.
Following European action, this weekend also saw Napoli scheduled to play on Sunday evening, after Lazio‘s” data-scaytid=”22″>Lazio's afternoon fixture on the same day.
This was in spite of the Aquile playing on Thursday evening in the Europa League and the Partenopei playing the day before, on the Wednesday, in the European Cup.
Reflecting in greater detail on Sunday's 1-0 win over Parma that was only achieved through an 85th-winner from Giuseppe Sculli, Reja raised the point about League fixture favouritism towards the teams in UEFA's prime midweek competition.
“We are delighted with this result and are happy for the League position and for our fans. It is a joy for them.
“Yesterday was not easy because Parma is a good team that is doing well.
“Three days off are needed. Sometimes it happens that you save at the beginning of a game to try to give everything at the end. There was a fear of not getting to the end with the lucidity needed.
“It is true [that the team suffered], but I can assure you that playing Thursday night and then thinking even 24 hours after the game about Sunday is not easy.
“We have played seven games in 22 days and it would be better for those who play in the Europa League to play on a Monday.
“Why should they have this possibility for the Champions League and not the Europa League? It is true that they play abroad as well, but we are under equal pressure.
“The boys have exerted so much energy and remember that we have had many injuries.”
On the weekend's performance, Reja was more serene.
“We are improving, and [Stefan] Radu and [Abdoulay] Konko are doing great things. Same thing for [Andre] Dias and [Modibo] Diakite who have left only the smallest of spaces [for Parma].”