Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed that no player will start in both of the club’s upcoming fixtures this week, citing player welfare as the primary concern amid a congested festive schedule.
Palace face a Europa Conference League clash with Finnish side KuPS on Thursday at 20:00 GMT, followed just 48 hours later by a Premier League visit to Leeds United on Saturday, also at 20:00 GMT. The schedule has been compressed due to the rearrangement of Palace’s EFL Cup quarter-final against Arsenal on Tuesday, 23 December.
Two Completely Different Starting XIs
Glasner stressed the importance of rotating the squad to manage the workload on his players.
“No player will start against [both] KuPS and Leeds. I and we all feel responsible for the players’ welfare,” Glasner said.
He added that with Palace already having played 27 games this season, it would be irresponsible to field the same lineup twice in three days.
“We will start with two completely different teams, but of course the minutes will be shared a little bit if this is possible. I always want to play the best team from the first until the last minute, but this game demands this from us, so that is why we will do it.”
Currently, Palace sit fifth in the Premier League and are ninth in the Europa Conference League, just outside the automatic qualification spots for the last 16. Glasner’s squad management strategy ensures they remain competitive in both competitions while protecting players from injury.
Kamada Out for Eight to Ten Weeks
Adding to the squad challenges, Japan international Daichi Kamada faces a serious hamstring injury and will be sidelined for up to 10 weeks. He left the pitch after 67 minutes in Sunday’s 3-0 home defeat to Manchester City.
Glasner explained the nature of the injury:
“It is how it looked when he walked off the pitch. It’s a serious hamstring injury, and he will be out for at least eight to 10 weeks. It’s not what we want, but on the other side, it’s part of football – when you play so many games that things can happen.”
He added that the injury was non-typical, caused by Kamada’s landing and body position rather than repetitive muscle strain.
Contract Talks on Hold
Glasner’s contract runs until the end of the season, but discussions over a new deal have been delayed due to the hectic fixture schedule.
“When should I talk about my contract? And that’s why we said, ‘OK, let’s push it backwards when we have time,’ because it’s not between three meetings which take 10 minutes. We want to do it in a relaxed atmosphere, and right at the moment there is no relaxed atmosphere. That’s why we pushed it back.”
What’s Next for Palace?
- Thursday 20:00 GMT – vs KuPS (Europa Conference League)
- Saturday 20:00 GMT – vs Leeds United (Premier League)
The club’s ability to rotate effectively will be crucial as Palace aim to maintain their top-five league position while navigating the challenges of European competition.
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