Why Christmas brings no cheer to players and clubs in the Premier League

Even Jesus Christ can’t seem to get Premier League players and managers a break

The snow’s falling down, kids are enjoying their holidays, offices take an extended break and homes swell with festive cheer and celebration as Europe looks forward to Christmas and the impending New Year. Footballers too get a break, to put their feet up a bit and get some rest and relaxation while also getting time to spend with family and friends. After all, when the rest of the world’s celebrating, why shouldn’t they?

However, Diego Costa, Filipe Luis, Alexis Sanchez, Angel di Maria and the rest of the players in England’s top flight – are not sharing the same sentiments as they find themselves embroiled in the yearly rigmarole that is the ‘bonus’ fixture pile-up that the Premier League is associated with usually at this point in the season.

Unlike during their time in Spain in the last few years, the above quartet is not going to be enjoying a winter break this time around. A cluster of games are the presents that the league throws up to its teams, and their players and managers, who must curse their luck when they look at what their pals in the other leagues are up to.

It’s been a long-running debate on whether the Football Association (FA) should cease with this annual fixture congestion in keeping with what Spain, Germany, Italy and the rest of Europe’s top leagues do in order to aid English teams in the long run.

So far though, it hasn’t cut any slack with the powers to be as profit, viewership and cash, continue to ensure that players will be in their team strips four times in a span of 10 days between December 26 and January 5.

The rest of Europe

In contrast, the winter break is on after this weekend’s round of matches in the other leagues. The La Liga will resume on January 3rd, the Serie A on January 5th and the Ligue 1 on January 7th. That’s 14 days off for those teams at the minimum. The Bundesliga is even better, and reopens only on January 30th, resulting in a month of rest and recuperation for the likes of Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.

Of course, Germany has only 18 teams and as a result has 40 matches lesser in its calendar, due to which they can afford a whole month off. But the other three big leagues have the same number of teams as the Premier League and get 14 days off. Ironically, despite that, the La Liga, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Premier League all conclude on the weekend of May 23/24; Serie A closes a week later.

So, the situation in England is great for television, great for some sections of fans who do enjoy the added football during the holidays, but how about the players and what effect does it have in the longer run, say for teams in the UEFA Champions League?

English teams in the Champions League knockout rounds

One trend that has been observed on an almost annual basis is that teams from the other leagues seem to almost fare better in the Champions League than those from England. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund seem to be able to find another gear as the competition moves into March and April.

Last year Manchester City, the eventual champions, were eliminated in the first knockout round by Barcelona, Arsenal likewise by Bayern Munich. Chelsea got to the semi-finals before being beaten by Atletico Madrid.

Last year’s Chelsea are in fact a classic case; they were going well in the Premier League and looking likely for a title run until their resources got stretched with a deep run in Europe. Manchester City benefited from having a deeper squad as well as bowing out early, allowing them to fully concentrate on the league.

This explains how they became champions last year despite being top of the table for a mere 14 days. And Liverpool had no distractions from the get go, a challenge they could not cope with this year, not being able to get past the group stage even.

The top three teams in England over the past five seasons (based on how they finished that season)

Looking at how the top English teams (in reference to order of finish that season) have gone in Europe in the last five years, it doesn’t make for good reading.

Of the eventual champions, Manchester United went the furthest in 2010-11 finishing runners-up to Barcelona. No runner-up has gone beyond the quarter-finals and likewise for the third-best team. The top Spanish and German teams are however, constantly making the quarters and the semis in Europe’s premier club competition.

Last year, it was an all-Spanish affair in the final and the year before that, an all-German one. Each of the top three Spanish teams last year made the quarter-finals while two German teams did. Chelsea were England’s only representative.

You might say that those stats merely state the obvious, which is that the Premier League isn’t ‘the best in the world’ as those ‘pundits’ would have you believe and that the players in Spain and Germany are so much better than the ones in England. While that isn’t entirely a faulty line of debate, all players, including the very best ones, need their rest and time to recuperate and when viewed in that context a 14-day period of no competitive action is gold dust.

Chelsea may be amongst the best in Europe this term, but the lack of time off could hurt them when they take on Europe’s big boys.

World Cup exertions

Like those layers of cake that you get around Christmas when you step into feasts, certain footballers this year had to deal with the exertions of playing at the quadrennial showpiece before returning to their clubs.

It wasn’t for no reason that players such as Eden Hazard, Robin van Persie and Pablo Zabaleta took some time to get going this season. Also, players associated with the Brazil team, the World Cup hosts, seem to suffering from a serious dip in form after their underwhelming campaign that ended in a humiliating exit at the hands of eventual winners Germany.

Fernandinho is a prime example of a player whose form has dipped this year over last season, while Oscar and Willian looked to be carrying a hangover for some time as well.
What would really irk the players is that even during such years, there is no exception made by the FA.

Is there any respite?

The fact that the Premier League is an extremely profitable money-spinning offering now probably means that the end to this hectic schedule is nowhere in sight in the near future. When Premier Leagues can charge upto £600 for children to become mascots, you know that its money over anything else.

Also, the fact that as a product it is being lapped up by audiences outside of England who are in fact the main drivers of television revenue probably means that the Christmas festivities for the players will continue to remain on the pitch.

Louis van Gaal is the latest manager to criticize the Christmas scheduling

As Louis van Gaal said recently critiquing this, "I am not happy - but I cannot change it - because I don't think it is good for the players that they play within two days of a (previous) match - two matches in two days.”

"In December it shall be like that. We also have family. I have a wife and kids, and grandchildren, and I cannot see them this Christmas. But I want to work in the Premier League, so I have to adapt, and I shall adapt. But I don't think it is good. It is not good for the players, nor for the family."

Perhaps it’s about time ‘the best league in the world’ lent a caring ear to its primary stakeholders in order to further the interests of its clubs in the long run and not just its coffers.

A Real Gala Affair

Joyous midweek if you are a football fan with passions (and tension) running high. The starry European nights are here, the very reason why Sir Alex Ferguson claims he is reluctant to hang up his boots just yet. For 3 of the Quarter-finalists tonight - Malaga, Galatasaray and Borussia Dortmund - it marks a special occasion indeed. They are in the business end of the UEFA Champions League and that doesn't happen very often.

Real Madrid are in pursuit of the 'Decima', a 10th European crown. Madrid are the royalty of Europe already, but a 10th title would just push them into an exalted status altogether. For Jose Mourinho, it's the dream of a 3rd crown with as many teams, something that nobody has ever achieved before. With Barcelona running away with the league title, all of Madrid's energies are focused on claiming the big European prize. They were very close last year, going out agonizingly on penalties to Bayern Munich in front of their home fans. And Mourinho and his men would look to make that final step this year.

Cristiano Ronaldo is doing what Cristiano Ronaldo does - scoring goals, making plays, defying gravity to hang in the air, you name it. He is joint top scorer in this year's competition with 8 goals. He shares that mantle with a guy who he will line up against tonight, more on him later. An emotional encounter with his former club Manchester United in the previous round was a dicey one, but Real pulled through and he scored 2 goals to help them on their way. They have stuttered in the league, but then again it's understandable considering where their priorities lie.

What bodes well for them is the return to form of current captain Sergio Ramos and the emergence of teenager Raphael Varane that has strengthened the defence. The duo were Madrid's standout players in the tie against United and especially in the 2nd leg were the 2 best players on the pitch along with keeper Sergio Lopez. They still struggle when they are given the ball and forced to dictate the play and United exploited this weakness very well.

What they do have in plenty is goals and electric pace up top with Ronaldo, Angel di Maria and Gonzalo Higuain forming a lethal trio that can tear into any side. They were before yesterday, the best attacking side along with Bayern having scored 19 goals in 8 games. Once again the first leg is at home, and Real will be keen to put this tie to bed right here, right now before embarking on their trip to 'Hell'.

Turkish football is always associated with emotionally charged passionate crowds, colorful and vibrant atmosphere and players and managers who tend to play with their hearts on their sleeves. Fatih Terim, 'the Emperor' as he is called, has steered Galatasaray into the final 8. And whatever folks may say, they have earned their right to be here. You must be doing something right when you have the competition's joint leading goal scorer in your ranks. Burak Yilmaz has been on a tear in the Champions League and has matched Ronaldo when it comes to scoring. What is of real significance is that Gala have netted only 11 goals so far and Yilmaz has bagged 8 of them. Real though have failed to keep a single clean sheet so far and that will be encouraging news for the Turks as they will look to take back a precious away goal.

Didier Drogba is one man who striker who knows how to take his team to glory as he exemplified last year. He has joined the Turkish giants along with Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder to add some bite and Champions League winning experience to the squad. It has been 12 years since Galatasaray made it this far, way back in 2000-01 and it was Real who stopped them, emerging 5-3 winners on aggregate after each side won its home leg. They are charged with a mammoth task once more and while not impossible, it is isn't the easiest. Plus, with Madrid having had a big 2 games against United, you'd reckon they would have dusted off any rust and have that big game win under their belts. While for Gala, they did well to rally to beat Schalke, but this is a stern test for them.

TEAM NEWS

Fabio Coentrao and Raphael Varane both missed the game at the weekend and are rated doubtful for tonight's encounter. Varane, if he doesn't make it, will be a big miss as he was one of their key guys against United repelling many an attack. Iker Casillas is fit again, but it is very unlikely that Mourinho will start the Spanish captain preferring to go with Diego Lopez instead.

Engin Baytar and Aydin Yilmaz have not traveled to Spain and that means Johan Elmander (remember him from Bolton Wanderers) could feature. Otherwise, the Emperor has a full complement of players to choose from.

Galatasaray have improved markedly since the competition began and have gotten better with every game. With Yilmaz firing in front of goal and new additions Drogba and Sneijder, they carry a sizable threat. The first leg though will be important as a heavy defeat could leave them with too much to do in Istanbul. Real at their best this season have been unplayable especially when Ronaldo and Di Maria get on the ball. Plus there's a certain 'the Special One' in their corner, who knows all about winning the Champions League. It could very well turn out like their last encounter with home wins for each side with Madrid scoring more.

Fatih Terim before the game said: "When the draw was made, we drew a team whose goal it is to win the trophy. Madrid have some of the most important players and maybe the best coach in the world. We know very well who we are facing but in the Champions League we have already proved our strength and belief. We will have a great game regardless of the result." So we can expect goals and a good dose of entertainment, it sure does promise to be a Real Gala affair.