Quique Setién Bemoans New Substitution Rule & Claims Barcelona Could Be at Disadvantage

Barcelona manager Quique Setién says allowing five substitutions per game could benefit the Catalan giants rivals ahead of the league's proposed restart in June.

La Liga is poised to return on 11 June, with at least one game everyday until 19 July in a jam packed fixture schedule.

The Spanish top flight will follow the Bundesliga's lead, adopting the new law whereby teams are allowed to make five substitutions per game instead of just three.

The measures have been brought in to keep players fresh and reduce the risk of injury following the three-month break as a result of the coronavirus outbreak, but Setién sees it potentially working against Barcelona.

Speaking to Las Palmas Football Federation [via Esports], the Barcelona boss said: "I think this will do us more harm than good.

"Many matches are resolved in the final minutes and with this change rivals will be able to have more fresh players in this phase of the match, where we tend to take advantage of this fatigue.

"But it can also give you resources in a specific moment. It's an unknown quantity and we'll see how it goes."

Setién is also wary about the lack of group training his side will have had in preparation for their return to competitive action. Barcelona were back on the training pitch on 8 May for individual fitness work, but will only have had 10 full days of training together as a group prior to La Liga's restart.

""We're working very hard," Setién added. "We thought we would have more time to work as a group, but it's not to be. We would have liked more time.

"One thing we couldn't do is go all into the video room together to review tactical concepts that are important."

Setién did admit, though, that the game's prolonged absence can act as motivation for his players, rather than hinder performance - Barça's last game was played on 7 March, and their first fixture back is against Mallorca on 16 June.

"Being so long without playing is a motivation in itself," he concluded. "The situation has allowed players to rest mentally and eliminate stress."