Real Madrid clinched a victory against Villarreal, winning 2-1 on their home turf, thanks to a brace from Kylian Mbappé. With this win, the reigning champions reclaimed the top spot in the La Liga standings. However, despite the result, Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, was visibly frustrated about the match scheduling.
It wasn’t just frustration—he issued a clear warning. After playing a grueling Champions League match against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday night, Real had to return to action against Villarreal in less than three days. Ancelotti made it clear: this was the last time his team would accept such a tight schedule. He warned that if they don’t get at least a 72-hour break between matches in the future, Real Madrid will refuse to play.
The Champions League Round of 16 second leg against Atlético kicked off at 9 PM local time on Wednesday. After 90 minutes of regulation, the game went into extra time, adding another 30 minutes. The intense battle eventually ended in a penalty shootout, wrapping up around midnight.
Just 66 hours later, Real Madrid was back on the pitch for their La Liga match against Villarreal, which kicked off at 6:30 PM on Saturday. The packed schedule left the players exhausted, prompting frustration within the club. Even before the Villarreal match, Real Madrid had announced on their official TV channel that they would seek FIFA’s intervention to prevent similar scheduling issues in the future.
During the post-match press conference, Ancelotti reiterated the club’s stance. “This is the last time we are playing with less than 72 hours of rest. If we don’t get a proper break, we simply won’t play,” he stated firmly. “We asked La Liga twice to reschedule the match, but they did nothing. This is the last time.”
When asked if Real Madrid would truly boycott a match under similar circumstances, Ancelotti responded without hesitation: “No, we will not play.”
FIFA itself recommends a minimum 72-hour rest period between matches to protect players’ health. However, the final decision on scheduling lies with the respective league authorities. In Spain, La Liga has control over the domestic match calendar.
Interestingly, Real Madrid’s main title rivals, Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, both received an extra day of rest this week. The two teams face off on Sunday, giving them a slight advantage in recovery time.
As things stand, Real Madrid leads the La Liga table with 60 points from 28 matches. Barcelona, in second place with 57 points, has played two games fewer, while Atlético sits third with 56 points from 27 matches.
