Reported 4 months ago
The Carabao Cup is implementing a new seeding mechanism to prevent big clubs from facing each other in the early rounds and alleviate fixture congestion caused by extended European competitions like the Champions League, Europa League, and Europa Conference League. The league is spreading out third-round fixtures over two weeks to reduce congestion and is keeping options open for the fifth round to avoid conflicts with European competitions. The changes come amid ongoing clashes over fixture scheduling, including the axing of cup replays and discontent over the football support system. Managers like Pep Guardiola have raised concerns over the demanding calendar and potential conflicts with other competitions in the upcoming season.
Source: YAHOO