Newcastle face fixture congestion as they fail to move Europa League tie

By Colin Young

Published: 17:37 EST, 13 August 2012 | Updated: 18:17 EST, 13 August 2012

Newcastle United have failed in their bid to move their Europa League match next week and must now play their key play-off game in Greece just two days before their second league match of the season at Chelsea.

The Barclays Premier League club, who gained their return to European competition after a five year absence with last season's fifth-placed finish, had hoped to move their Europa Cup qualifier with little-known Greek side Atromitos from Athens to Newcastle next week.

But Atromitos, who finished fourth in the Greek league last season, have refused to budge so Newcastle must play in the 10,000-seater Peristeri Stadium in Athens next Thursday night. The second leg will be played on Tyneside the following Thursday.

Newcastle play Chelsea in a televised game at Stamford Bridge two days after the first leg and, after Metropolitan Police also refused to move that league fixture, Newcastle had hoped for some sympathy from their Europa Cup opponents who are playing only their second European campaign in their history. Uefa have refused to intervene under their own competition rules.

Newcastle have not announced their travel plans for the Greek trip yet but they are now expected to return to London in the early hours of Friday morning and will have just over 24 hours to prepare for the lunchtime kick-off with Chelsea.

Manager Alan Pardew, who is on the verge of adding Ajax's £6million-rated defender Vurnon Anita to his squad, has always insisted that his younger fringe players will have a major role to play in his side's European campaign.

Pardew's senior players are also giving him cause for concern ahead of this weekend's opener at home to Tottenham. Hatem Ben Arfa is already ruled out with a knee injury and throughout this week the Newcastle manager and his medical staff will be monitoring the fitness of Yohann Cabaye, Papiss Cisse, Demba Ba, Cheick Tiote and captain Fabricio Coloccini who are all struggling with injuries.