How European commitments could impact the remainder of the Premier League campaign
European commitments are bound to have an impact on the rest of the Premier League season. Liverpool, Manchester City, Aston Villa, and Arsenal have Champions League ties to come throughout the remainder of the campaign.
Manchester United and Tottenham are competing in the Europa League. Chelsea will soon be back in Conference League action, with Enzo Maresca likely to name stronger teams for the knockout phase.
Potential Impact
Squad rotation and injuries are always an important factor when betting on football. Teams in Europe have several more fixtures to contend with than their Premier League peers, and many of those matches required significant travel.
This can have an adverse impact on performance. Aston Villa, for example, have taken six out of a possible 21 points from matches directly after Champions League fixtures. Villa’s Premier League betting odds to finish in the top six have lengthened to 11/4 as a result.
The Conference League didn’t have much of an impact on Chelsea before Christmas. Maresca was naming a second XI in midweek, keeping his players fresh for Premier League commitments. While he’s unlikely to go to a full-strength team until the latter rounds, we are likely to see more first-team players included.
Like Villa, Manchester City struggled in the Premier League immediately after Champions League matches. Yes, they beat Chelsea a few days after a loss in Paris, but they lost the three matches following their fourth, fifth, and sixth Champions League fixtures.
The gruelling nature of the Champions League schedule is inevitably responsible for some of Arsenal’s injury issues, particularly with Mikel Arteta’s reluctance to rotate.
Europa League teams
In-form teams were derailed by midweek matches and the associated travel. The grossly underperforming duo of Manchester United and Tottenham have had little time to train this season with fixtures coming thick and fast.
Ange Postecoglou’s Spurs are dealing with a season-crushing injury crisis. Ruben Amorim is having to juggle a squad he doesn’t rate – the Portuguese manager described the Red Devils as the ‘worst team, maybe, in the history of Manchester United’.
Both teams are languishing in the bottom half of the Premier League. Spurs cannot afford any more injuries, but can Postecoglou risk embarrassing results in the Europa League when his job is at threat? While a top-six berth is unlikely, will Amorim prioritise the league over potential silverware?
Fatigue, injuries, and pressure
Every club should want to be in European competition. It’s a chance for players and managers to become club icons. One magic moment can define a player’s career at their club.
Whichever of the three UEFA competitions a team is in, however, challenges are presented. There is the physical fatigue from extra matches. Mental burnout is more likely with such high stakes every few days, along with the travel. Pressure is higher when teams are involved in continental competition.
When we look ahead to the rest of the 2024/25 Premier League season, it’s important to consider how the varying demands of European competitions can influence players and managers.
08.02.2025