The SPFL are facing fixture meltdown if Celtic or St Johnstone draw their weekend Scottish Cup ties.
The two clubs are scheduled to meet at McDairmid Park on Wednesday January 29 but that match will be postponed if either side is involved in a cup replay. That is when the nightmare kicks in with no free dates before the SPFL split on April 4. On Saturday St Johnstone host Morton with Celtic travelling to Partick Thistle in the Scottish Cup.
Two midweek dates in February are taken up by Celtic’s Europa League ties against Copenhagen, if the hoops progress the Round of 16 will be played on March 12 and 19.
Bubbling away in the background is Ian Maxwell and Steve Clarke looking for the weekend of March 21/22 off to prepare Scotland for the Euro 2020 Play Off semi-final against Israel. That is a non-starter with March 28/29 already clear for international matches.
The lack of free midweek dates is a major problem as the Daily Record explains:
And it could prove hugely problematic for the SPFL if the Rangers and Celtic continue to progress in Europe and the Scottish Cup ahead of the split on April 4.
Both sides are strong favourites to progress in their Europa League last-32 ties against Braga and Copenhagen respectively with the round of 16 games taking place on March 12 and 19 and quarter finals on April 9 and 16.
The lack of available dates is one of the main reasons the SPFL can’t entertain the idea of postponing the entire Scottish Premiership fixture card ahead of Scotland’s huge Euro 2020 play-off semi-final against Israel on March 26.
Other European leagues can reschedule matches through April and May but the SPFL has to get it’s first 33 fixtures completed by April 4 in order to arrange five rounds of post-split fixtures.
If St Johnstone were certain to be in the top six a possible match could be played in the free midweeks in April or May but Tommy Wright’s side are currently in ninth place, five behind sixth placed Hibs.
The 5th round of the Scottish Cup will be played on February 8 with the 6th round on February 29.
