Maurizio Sarri has tried to explain his confusion over the Premier League's decision to arrange Chelsea's game with West Ham United three days before the side are due to take on Slavia Prague in the Europa League.
The fixture with the Hammer has been selected for live television coverage on Monday night on Sky Sports but the Italian is unhappy with the scheduling, giving his side only 72 hours before they have to take to the pitch again in Europe.
The likes of Pep Guardiola of Manchester City and Mauricio Pochettino of Tottenham Hotspur have both spoken out about the scheduling when their sides were forced to play with little rest between their Premier League and Champions League games and Sarri is the latest to speak out over the fixture list.
Slavia Prague played on Saturday, giving them two extra days of rest before they face Chelsea in the Europa League quarter final, while the Blues will face West Ham on Monday before flying to Prague in midweek, playing their game before flying back to prepare for a trip to league leaders Liverpool on Sunday.
Maurizio Sarri press conference: Every word on Higuain's future, Hudson-Odoi, West Ham & more
Sarri believes the situation is 'strange' and pointed to Serie A, where teams can ask to play their next fixture after an away Europa League game on a Monday, as a league that tries to help their sides in Europe.
But despite that, he is aware that Chelsea must get on with the hand they've been dealt when they undertake a busy week.
Sarri said: “I am not able to understand the decision of the Premier League because we have to go to Prague as an English team. So I'm not able to understand why we have to play on Monday. It's very strange.
“I think the club has asked to change it, but I think the answer was that, also in the Champions League, the English teams have only three days (to prepare). I think that, in this case, it was easy to solve the problem. But the situation is this, so we have only to adapt to the situation.
“Not just us, but all the teams involved in Europe. Yes. I think they could have done more for the English teams in Europe.
"In Serie A, teams play on Friday. Teams involved in the Europa League away from home, they can ask to play their next Serie A match on Monday.
"This is the situation and we need only to adapt to this situation.”
Maurizio Sarri reveals Chelsea's position on keeping Gonzalo Higuain after his loan spell
Keep up to date with the latest news, features and exclusives from football.london via the free football.london app for iPhone and Android.
Available to download from the App Store and Google Play.
