Manuel Pellegrini has hit out at the Spanish League and suggested that Malaga’s current fixture situation would not happen to Barcelona or Real Madrid.
The Costa del Sol side are currently preparing for Wednesday’s Champions League Play-off round first leg tie at home to Panathinaikos.
However, at today’s Press conference, the Coach was preoccupied with the following weekend’s match and the impact that is threatening to have on the second leg in Europe.
Malaga play Mallorca at 11pm on Saturday night before travelling out to Greece for a Tuesday night kick-off to decide a place in the Champions League group stages.
Pellegrini believes that whilst it may not have been an intentional slip-up from the LFP, it would never have happened to the other clubs representing the League in UEFA’s premier competition.
“Unfortunately, the programming is so strange to us because for television we are playing at 11pm and will finish at 1.30am, whilst on Tuesday we then play in the Champions League,” he reflected today to reporters.
“Our recovery is more complicated. Let’s see if during the Champions League another team involved in that would have to play at 11pm on the preceding Saturday and only have 48 hours to recover,
“We’ll see if Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia have the same treatment and play at that time.
“I don’t think there is intent to hinder Malaga, they unfortunately did not take into account the Champions League. The four teams represent Spain and I think we should have the same conditions.”
The Coach then turned to this week’s historic first foray into the Champions League for Malaga.
“Playing the group stage with the elite of world football is something our players are very focused for and excited to play for.”