Although the EFL appealed to Uefa to change the Liverpool-Atletico game date, European fixtures take precedence and the request was rejected.
The move means Everton’s game with Wolves will now be played on Wednesday, 16 September, with Liverpool’s Carabao Cup tie against Spurs brought forward by a day to Tuesday, 15 September.
A further knock-on effect is that Wolves’ Championship game against Portsmouth must now be played after the first international break, on 20 October, rather than take place in September.
The EFL has apologised for making the changes at short notice but says it has been left with “no option”, adding that Uefa’s “unwillingness to co-operate” is “frustrating”.
Uefa’s expansion of its club competitions at one point seemed as though it would spell the end of two-legged EFL Cup semi-finals.
That has not happened, but there has still been a notable impact. Because the Champions League and Europa League start on different nights in September, an EFL Cup pre-draw now has to take place to ensure the clubs involved are not drawn against each other.
