With the 2021/22 Premier League fixtures released, Fantasy managers can already start thinking about chip strategy and the Blank and Double Gameweeks.
International breaks are often key moments for those considering their first Wildcard of the campaign and, thanks to the fixture release, we now know where they will fall in the FPL schedule.
- First international break: Between Gameweeks 3 and 4
- Second international break: Between Gameweeks 7 and 8
- Third international break: Between Gameweeks 11 and 12
- Fourth international break: Between Gameweeks 30 and 31
Chelsea are expected to be at the heart of this season’s Blank Gameweeks after their Champions League title qualified them for the 2021/22 Club World Cup.
Thomas Tuchel’s men will enter the competition at the semi-final stages, although there is no fixed date for that round, other than the month of December, where Chelsea have the following schedule.
- Gameweek 16: Chelsea v Leeds
- Gameweek 17: Chelsea v Everton
- Gameweek 18: Wolves v Chelsea
- Gameweek 19: Aston Villa v Chelsea
- Gameweek 20: Chelsea v Brighton
If Chelsea make it to the final, they are likely to miss two of these matches.
Meanwhile, the FA Cup will start impacting FPL in Gameweek 30 when it reaches the quarter-final stages, which is almost certainly going to create a Blank Gameweek.
And the semi-finals of the FA Cup occur in Gameweek 33, which could also cause a slightly smaller Blank Gameweek.
As for the corresponding Double Gameweeks, the Champions League and Europa League schedule means that there are clear midweeks to accommodate extra fixtures in Gameweeks 33 and 36.
3 years, 6 months ago
If anyone's already questioning DGWs for next season I'd have to question their mental health.