Chelsea Women’s Champions League row: Shocking player welfare not Uefa’s priority – White

For the first time, there are three English clubs competing in the Women’s Champions League group stages, with Arsenal and Manchester City joining Chelsea.

Uefa regulations state clubs from the same national member associations cannot face each other in the group stage, while the two highest seeds must play on alternative evenings.

“It makes no sense to me why they couldn’t budge,” White added. “I know we have three English teams in the Champions League and they won’t allow all three to play on the same night. It’s just very confusing.”

Arsenal and City’s WSL fixtures are taking place as planned on Sunday, with them both in Champions League action on Wednesday.

Similar issues have been raised in the men’s game, with players and coaches speaking out about fixture congestion.

Manchester City midfielder Rodri – who recently suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury – says players are close to going on strike in protest at an increase in games.

Arsenal’s Jurrien Timber said this week that the current fixture schedule is “dangerous” and is a “big topic” in the dressing room.

“If you look at men’s football and Man City for example, they had 51 hours between playing Arsenal and then playing Watford in a cup game,” White said.

“They put out two different teams essentially. We don’t have those resources in women’s football. This is the Women’s Champions League and you have to be putting out your best team.

“You have smaller squads and it’s a really tight turnaround and credit to them for saying this is not OK, we are not having this.”