Aberdeen manager Derek McInnes insists he had no option but to field a weakened team for the final game of the season on Sunday.
McInnes rested several key players for the game against St Johnstone at Pittodrie, which the Dons lost 1-0.
But the Aberdeen manager, whose side started the campaign against Daugava Riga in Europe on July 3, believes the punishing took a toll on his Reds, who return to European action in just 37 days on July 2.
He said: “We wanted to play our best team all the way to the end of the season but I had to look after my players and Aberdeen for the start of next season.
“As it is, the set-up doesn’t give the players time to rest and recharge. With internationals on top of that, it’s really difficult.
“We enjoyed the experience of European football last time and we’ve worked hard as a club to get back there. We want to make it a worthwhile experience again but to do that we have to manage the squad carefully.
“The players have got to come back that bit earlier but that’s part of being successful.
“There are more demands and we’re not complaining but the close season is ridiculously short and it doesn’t do anything for the teams who qualify for Europe.”
The Dons signed off on a Scottish Premiership campaign on Sunday which produced a second place finish with a 75-point tally and a place in the Europa League qualifiers next season.
But success comes at a cost with the Dons manager and his players barely having time to hit the beach before they will be back in action.
He said: “We’ve had the luxury of looking after the players for next season in the last couple of games of the campaign. We have not taken risks with players who were under the threat of suspension for next season and we’ve also tried to protect the international players.
“No one else is going to look after the players, so the obligation falls on us to do it as best we can.
“Adam Rooney, Niall McGinn and Mark Reynolds are all involved in international football in the close season which is why we took the opportunity to rest them and hopefully by giving them some time off they will benefit from it next season.”