"Carlo Ancelotti sends a strong warning to La Liga: 'This won't happen again!' as Real Madrid seeks FIFA's protection against 'abuse' in Spanish football."
Carlo Ancelotti cautions La Liga about rest periods as Real Madrid turns to FIFA for protection against ‘abuse’ in Spain’s top division.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Real Madrid’s Champions League round-of-16 second-leg clash against their city rivals on Wednesday night went into extra time and penalties, finishing just before midnight. Despite the intense encounter, their next La Liga match was set for Saturday at 6:30 p.m. local time, allowing only 66 hours of recovery time.
THE BIGGER PICTURE
FIFA recommends a minimum 72-hour gap between matches to allow players sufficient recovery time. However, domestic leagues control kick-off times, leaving clubs with little say in their schedules. Ancelotti revealed that Madrid repeatedly requested La Liga to reschedule their Villarreal match for a later slot on Sunday, but their appeals were allegedly disregarded.
WHAT ANCELOTTI SAID
Ancelotti openly expressed his frustration, blaming the scheduling decisions on financial motives and broadcast rights rather than player well-being.
“I think today is the last time that we’ll play a game before 72 hours,” he said. “We won’t do it again, without 72 hours of rest. We asked LaLiga to change the time of the game twice, and they didn’t do anything. But this is the last time. I don’t understand it. The minimum is 72 hours, money, television rights are prioritised, not the players’ recovery. Money is prioritised, not the players’ rest.”
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite the squad’s physical strain, Madrid secured a 2-0 victory over Villarreal, with Kylian Mbappe netting both goals. The win temporarily extended their lead at the top of La Liga, putting them three points ahead of Barcelona, who still have two games in hand.
Real Madrid’s official media channel later announced that the club had called for FIFA’s intervention and would not tolerate similar treatment in the future, directly criticizing La Liga president Javier Tebas.
‘The abuse of the Tebas League will not be allowed,’ the statement read, accusing the league of poor fixture management.
WHAT NEXT?
Elite clubs and players have consistently voiced concerns over fixture congestion, especially as competitions continue to expand. The challenge will intensify in the 2024-25 season with the newly extended FIFA Club World Cup, set to take place from June 15 to July 13. Featuring 32 teams in its expanded format, the tournament will further strain an already overloaded schedule.
