LONDON • While Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp and Arsenal's Mikel Arteta welcomed the Premier League's winter break, Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has hit out at fixture congestion his side is facing after a short hiatus.
Spurs travel to Aston Villa tomorrow in the Premier League, host RB Leipzig on Wednesday in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 tie, then visit Chelsea next Saturday.
With Leipzig having played in the Bundesliga yesterday, the German team will have 24 hours longer to prepare than Tottenham.
"If you ask me if it's the perfect situation, I say no," Mourinho, a regular critic of the English schedule, said at a press conference on Friday. "The perfect situation would be for us to play against Villa tonight or tomorrow early, have three or four days before Leipzig.
"It's not the perfect situation for us to play on Sunday but, since 2004 I'm in this country, I know how it works and I know we have no protection at all before the Champions League matches."
If Spurs win a third straight league game for the first time since Mourinho's November arrival, they will be within a point of fourth-placed Chelsea (41), who host Manchester United tomorrow.
The Portuguese, however, is looking no further ahead than what he expects to be a tough battle at relegation-threatened Villa - their first league game since beating Manchester City on Feb 2.
"Always difficult at Villa Park," said the 57-year-old, whose side's mid-season break was interrupted by an FA Cup replay, which they won, against Southampton last week. "Villa are a good team, fighting to stay in the division, self-esteem really high after reaching the Wembley (League Cup) final.
"Very difficult match, we have to go with all the potential we have, forgetting that two days after we play Leipzig."
Mourinho was also asked about Dele Alli's social media message mocking the coronavirus outbreak in China, a post the midfielder quickly apologised for but which could still land him in trouble with the Football Association.
"Of course I spoke with him about that," he said. "But for me, it was a quite easy conversation, because he was very sorry about that thing... a mistake. It was never his intention to offend.
"He immediately regretted and realised. It was a young guy mistake, a young generation mistake. He regrets and that's the best he can show. And I think to apologise is remarkable."
Tottenham midfielders Giovani lo Celso and Erik Lamela missed the 3-2 win over Southampton due to thigh and groin injuries respectively. Striker Harry Kane remains on the sidelines following a hamstring operation.
The Argentinian lo Celso is back in training and could feature against Villa, while his compatriot Lamela will be assessed ahead of the game with Dean Smith's side.
The Villa coach has warned Spurs that his midfielder Jack Grealish, who has seven league goals and five assists, could be one to make a difference tomorrow.
He said: "They have Dele Alli who is scoring goals... The ability he had at such a young age meant he went straight into a Premier League team and hit the ground running.
"We believe Jack Grealish has that star quality as well. Jack's ability is there for all to see. It is his first full season in the Premier League this year and he has hit the ground running too."
REUTERS
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