The Premier League are set to hand Tottenham a major boost in their Champions League ambitions by agreeing to move the date of their domestic clash against Bournemouth, according to the Daily Mail.
Spurs had been due to play the Cherries on Monday May 6th, just two days before the return leg of their European semi-final against Ajax, but it is now understood that the governing body will move that fixture forward to Saturday May 4th to give Mauricio Pochettino’s side more time to prepare.
The report comes after the Dutch FA postponed an entire round of Eredivisie matches to allow league leaders Ajax more time to get ready of the first leg, which is set to be played on April 30th.
Pochettino had reportedly hoped that the Premier League might have followed suit in preparation for the first leg, but it would seem that they have instead chosen to give Spurs a helping hand ahead of the second meeting of the two sides.
OPINION
This news will delight Tottenham fans, and shows a rare amount of leniency from the Premier League. Usually, when it comes to domestic fixtures, especially those scheduled for television, the Premier League are fairly unyielding in their approach, but for once it would appear that they have seen sense and will do the right thing. This promises to be an incredibly tight semi-final, and given Ajax’s recent form in the competition, you really wouldn’t want to pick a winner. In a match that tight, the finest margins can have huge repercussions. That includes recovery time. The difference between a Saturday afternoon and a Monday evening is absolutely massive. There is simply no way that the Premier League could have sanctioned a rest period of just two days for one of its sides ahead of a Champions League semi-final, and it would seem, after building a bit of a reputation for being uncaring towards their exports, that they have finally bowed to logic.