Mikel Arteta Asks For A Rematch In The FA Cup To Be Removed Only

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta. (X/@Arsenal)

JAKARTA - Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta hopes that the replay or rematch in the FA Cup will be abolished. The rematch only adds to the burden of players and makes them tired so they don't fit in other matches.

English football, especially competitions and the FA Cup, is unique. When other leagues are off on Christmas and New Year, the league in England in all castes continues as usual.

There are even no holidays for players because they don't play once a week. Players actually enter the holiday tradition with a tight match schedule because it only takes three days.

The day after Christmas, players instead of enjoying their holidays, but instead competing. And the match schedule was played by all teams. Likewise one day after the new year, the team also played a match.

The schedule for matches at festivals or holiday traditions has often received criticism. Players don't get time to rest. In fact, this has an impact on the national team.

Players wearing The Three Lions jersey can't even enjoy holidays so they are tired while undergoing a training camp.

England, in the end, always failed in a major tournament. The Three Lions team has never won Europe and only won once in the 1966 World Cup.

Not only a busy schedule in Christmas and New Year, matches in the FA Cup must be repeated or reversed if both teams draw.

The tournament did not recognize extra time and a penalty shootout to finish the match. The rules that apply are replays and there are new penalties in the near-finals.

Arteta, who was once an Arsenal player, highlighted the return policy that adds to the burden of the team's match schedule. According to him, the FA should cancel the rematch.

"In my opinion, it should be [related to the possibility of abolition of the replay]. Players will play more matches," said Arteta.

"But we'll see how it develops because the new format of the Champions League will be launched. That format makes more matches played," he said.

"I'm not sure how players can stay fit by going through more games," he said again.

Arteta, further, said, "The lack of rest period will be less and less. We have to prepare two scenarios to anticipate it. We want to win the game and we have to try to do it. But I still hope to remove the replay, it must be considered," said the Spaniard.

Arteta will face a tough match against Livrpool in the third round of the FA Cup, Sunday, January 7 evening WIB. At the previous meeting in the Premier League competition, the two teams were only able to draw 1-1.