Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, is adamant that his squad would not participate in any more La Liga games unless his players are given at least 72 hours off in between games. Despite playing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday at 9 p.m. local time, the Italian manager is furious that his team was made to play Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
After a contentious win at their neighbours’ house, Ancelotti’s team played 120 minutes against Atletico, including a penalty shootout, to guarantee their spot in the Champions League quarterfinals. Julian Alvarez, a forward for Atletico, had his penalty rejected for allegedly touching the ball twice, and Real Madrid won the shootout.
On Saturday, Los Blancos returned to action and defeated Villarreal by a slim margin of 2-1 on the road, due to two goals from Ballon d’Or candidate Kylian Mbappe in the first half. Mbappe altered the tide of the match with a six-minute brace halfway through the first half, but Juan Foyth gave the Yellow Submarine the lead in the seventh minute.
Real Madrid now leads second-place Barcelona by three points at the top of La Liga as a result of the outcome. But if Barca defeats Atletico on Sunday night, they would join their fierce rivals with 60 points, and they have two games left over the defending European champions.
Standings for La Liga (March 16)
Place
Club
Games
Points
1.
Real Madrid
28
60
2.
Barcelona
26
57
3.
Real Madrid
27
56
Real Madrid Will Not Play Games, Says Ancelotti
Real Madrid demands at least seventy-two hours off in between games.
Accusing “television rights and money,” Ancelotti bemoaned the crowded schedule on Friday, adding that “the last thing on anyone’s mind is the players’ recovery.” Prior to the match against Villarreal, Real Madrid’s television network said: “Real Madrid will ask for FIFA’s support… so that this never happens again.”
According to ESPN, Ancelotti told reporters the team’s position after Saturday’s match at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica. Currently rated as the second-best manager in the world, the esteemed Italian coach stated:
“I believe that today marks the final game we will play before 72 hours pass. Without taking a 72-hour break, we won’t do it again. La Liga ignored our repeated requests to alter the game’s start time. However, this is the final instance.
When asked if he would be able to play in a future match if he were not given a 72-hour break, Ancelotti said, “No, of course not.” He went on to say of the win over Villarreal: “I’m really proud of the players; it was a difficult game. And the opposition performs admirably. Especially in the second half, we persevered. The group was worn out, but that’s common. This team’s accomplishment speaks volumes about their capabilities.
🚨 Real Madrid will never play a match again without at least 72 hours of rest, as recommended by FIFA.
Real Madrid will not allow it again. @AlvarodelaLama [RMTV] pic.twitter.com/SAtTVQIytU
— Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) March 15, 2025
FIFA advises players to take at least 72 hours off between games to safeguard their health. Leagues are not required by law to follow this advice, though, and time is ultimately up to the competition organisers. Real Madrid has put more pressure on La Liga, which sets the kickoff timings for league games in Spain’s top division, to make sure that teams get enough rest in between games going forward.
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