Mourinho blasts fixture pile-up

Jose Mourinho has slammed the scheduling of Premier League fixtures as Chelsea face a second match in the space of four days.

The Premier League leaders travelled to Istanbul to face Galatasaray in the first leg of a UEFA Champions League last-16 tie on Wednesday, securing a 1-1 draw.

Less than 72 hours later, the Stamford Bridge outfit will return to domestic action against Fulham at Craven Cottage.

Mourinho is furious that the Fulham match has not been put back to Sunday, and feels it is unfair on his leg-weary squad.

“We all prefer to play game after game after game – but we all want to play game after game after game with equal conditions for every team,” he said.

“Every team in the same country has the same privilege to be a little bit protected in relation to European matches.

“It makes the players’ job difficult – not my job. I don’t play. I could play (manage) a match every day and it’s not a problem for me or the people who make the fixtures.”

Veteran midfielder Frank Lampard has also raised concerns over fixture congestion, and Mourinho believes the England international would not speak out on the issue if it were not important.

He added: “Frank Lampard has a right to speak. He’s played an unbelievable number of seasons with this club.

“He’s played more than 100 matches with the England side. He’s not a man that normally speaks a lot. He’s not the kind of player who is trying to show an opinion.

“When a player like him, and a man like him, expresses his feelings like that, I think this country should listen.

“It’s not a problem for my legs; it’s not a problem for legs of people who make this decision; it’s the players’ legs.”