LONDON -- Antonio Conte called it a "strange coincidence" that Chelsea have been forced to play against more rested opponents four times already this season as he resumed his criticism of the Premier League and UK broadcasters over the fixture schedule.
Chelsea host Newcastle at Stamford Bridge in Saturday's lunchtime kick off after beating Swansea City on Wednesday night, while their opponents have enjoyed an extra day to recover and prepare following Tuesday's 2-2 draw with West Brom.
It is the latest in what Conte believes is a pattern of fixture timings that have disadvantaged Chelsea this season. The Blues were forced to take on key Premier League rivals Manchester City and Liverpool on Saturday lunchtime after Champions League away matches against Atletico Madrid and Qarabag -- the latter a round trip of just under 5,000 miles -- the previous Wednesday while both of their domestic opponents played a day earlier.
Conte also pointed to the decision to move Chelsea's Premier League match against Watford forward from Monday night to Saturday in October following their 3-3 draw at home with Roma the previous Wednesday; the kick-off time was changed because of the Blues' progression in the Carabao Cup.
BT Sport and Sky Sports submitted their picks for the televised matches in question to the Premier League before the Champions League group stage draw was made on Aug. 24, but Conte refuses to accept that Chelsea's unfavourable schedule is the product of mere coincidence.
Asked if he felt his team had been penalised by the timing of Saturday's game against Newcastle, Conte replied: "Yes, I must be honest. It happened again. Newcastle played on Tuesday night, we played on Wednesday night and now we have to play again on Saturday at 12:30 p.m. [UK time]. It has happened again.
"I don't want to complain, but ... once it can happen. Against Watford we should have played on Monday and then they changed it to Saturday at 12.30 p.m. after we played on Wednesday [against Roma].
"Once it can happen. Twice it can happen. [Then] against Manchester City. The third time, you start to be perplexed. And now against Newcastle.
"I don't want advantages for my team. I want the same rest as our opponents. Is it very difficult to do this? I don't think so. I think now there is a strange coincidence.
"I want to protect my club, I want to try to protect my players, I want to try to protect my fans, also I want to try to protect the Premier League. Now we have 11 points less than Manchester City. Yes, but if you remember when we played Manchester City they rested one day more than us.
"We played against Liverpool, they rested one day more than us. Now again, in only 14 games [it has happened] four times. It is very difficult to think that this is a coincidence, honestly."
Chelsea are sympathetic to Conte's frustrations and have had discussions with the Premier League concerning the fixture schedule. There is also an acceptance within the club hierarchy, however, that Sky and BT are entitled to the power they wield in scheduling matches for television after pledging £5.13 billion to screen the competition in the UK from 2016 to 2019.
"I don't want advantages, I want the same rest for my players as our opponents," Conte repeated. "Only this. If we have to play every two days, I'm ready. But we need to have the same rest as our opponents, then we will see what happens.
"If you give one day more of rest and when you play every three days, you have injuries and the squad is this, you can find a lot of difficulties. This is not a complaint.
"I spoke with my club and I hope my club will try to do something about the situation. I repeat: I'm trying to protect my club, I'm trying to protect my players and I'm trying to protect the fans and maybe also the league. Every team has this type of situation. But from start of the season, I don't know, I see only Chelsea to have this type of situation.
"The Qarabag situation was incredible. Also if you want to do this it's very difficult to do this. I want respect for my job, for my club, for the players, for the fans. This is the fourth time. I'm not stupid. If someone wants to joke with me I'm not the right person to joke [with]."