Fixture farce looms for Everton in Europa League

19 December 2009 03:00
DAVID MOYES today hit out at the Uefa bosses who have handed Everton a fixture headache for their last 32 Europa league tie.[LNB]The Blues were drawn out of the hat to face Portuguese giants Sporting Lisbon, with the first leg at Goodison Park.[LNB]But Liverpool, who dropped into the Europa League after failing to progress from the Champions League group stages, were also drawn at home against Romanians Unirea Urziceni, with the Reds taking the Thursday night kick off slot on February 18.[LNB]Meanwhile, Everton have been handed an impractical 5.45pm kick off on Tuesday Feb 18.[LNB] Liverpool were given the better slot under Uefa regulations which favour whichever team finished higher in their domestic league.[LNB]Moyes said: I'm disappointed because I think we've played every Thursday throughout and I'm disappointed some supporters are not going to be able to make it.[LNB]We've finished fifth in the premier league and earned the right to do so. [LNB]"Yes, you can see the fixture congestion and it is ludicrous in a way, but we were stitched up with the Tottenham game in the Carling Cup and you can't get the people who marking these decisions to come forward either so we just get on with it.

Source: Liverpool_Echo