The future of the EFL Cup remains uncertain as UEFA, European football’s governing body, clarifies its stance on the competition.
UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin had previously voiced his opinion on potentially scrapping the EFL Cup entirely, but Deputy General Secretary Giorgio Marchetti has adopted a more neutral stance.
Marchetti has emphasised that any changes to the EFL Cup fall under the purview of English football authorities, including whether the winner qualifies for Europe.
The expansion of UEFA’s club competitions from next season means the calendar will be even more jam-packed than it already is.
Talks of streamlining the English football calendar had previously surfaced, with potential revisions to the EFL Cup and FA Cup replays being floated.
However, discussions regarding increased funding between the Premier League and the EFL proved unsuccessful.
“We organise our own competitions, and we try to be extremely respectful of what the leagues and associations decide in their own territory,” Marchetti said (via Football London).
“They know what is best for their country. The qualification is locked for the League Cup winner, we decided a long time ago.”
What does this mean for Spurs?
Spurs fans everywhere are raising a concerned eyebrow, with the revamped continental competition format set to push group stages into January, which is traditionally reserved for domestic cup clashes.
This means we’ll be forced to potentially cram FA Cup, EFL Cup, and Premier League fixtures into an already congested January schedule, placing even more pressure on squad fitness levels.
That doesn’t bode well for us. Even without European football, the boys are already looking a bit worse for wear on the injury front.
Micky van de Ven just joined Richarlison on the treatment table, and that’s on top of the long-term absences of Ryan Sessegnon and Manor Solomon.
Rodrigo Bentancur, Yves Bissouma, and James Maddison have also suffered their fair share of injury problems, but it appears things could get worse next season.
With this new continental format, fatigue could become our worst enemy. This summer could be key. We must reinforce the squad with quality additions to improve our chances of challenging for silverware across all fronts.