De Zerbi: We're playing a different sport to last season

Roberto De Zerbi believes the quick turnaround in games is like playing ‘a different sport’ compared to last season.

Thursday will mark 54 days since our first competitive game of the season – a 4-1 win over Luton Town – with tonight's game at the Stade Velodrome our 11th match since then, while in the opening 54 days of last season we played seven games.

De Zerbi said, “If you play with the same 11 you can play better, but I have to make changes because Lewis [Dunk] played with his national team and then after three days played another big game at Old Trafford. Then we lost him for a very important game [against AEK Athens]. Pascal Gross was the same because he played with the national team.

“I don’t want to put my focus specifically on the Premier League or Europa League, we have to take it game by game, but we have many difficult situations. Solly March finished last season with an injury and then at the beginning of this season I had to manage him.

“With [Adam] Webster and [Danny] Welbeck I have to manage them because they can’t play two games in three days. We have to adapt.

“If we reach European competition next season it will be different. I am seeing a lot of injuries in other teams too; the injury of Saka [for Arsenal], Newcastle as well.

“In Italy there is a discussion about too many games. It’s not my job [to decide], but we’re playing a different sport to last season. We have the ability to play in the same way though.

“I have to decide the team but I don’t want to risk anyone. It’s a very important game, but we can’t take a risk with Pascal or any other important player because the season will be very long and we have another important game on Sunday [against Liverpool].”