Ancelotti demands 72-hour rest for Real Madrid matches, warns La Liga

Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has issued a warning to La Liga.

The Athletic reported on the 16th (Korean time) that "Ancelotti said Real Madrid would refuse to play without at least 72 hours of rest moving forward. Real Madrid won against Villarreal, but this match started with less than 67 hours after their victory over Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, which had gone to extra time and penalties."

On the same day, Real Madrid defeated Villarreal 2-1 in the 28th round of La Liga for the 2024-2025 season at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain. Kylian Mbappe scored multiple goals, securing victory for the team. This victory brought Real Madrid's points total to 60, placing them first ahead of Barcelona (57 points).

Nevertheless, Ancelotti expressed his dissatisfaction after the match. The reason was the tight schedule. Real Madrid played against Atletico in the UEFA Champions League (UCL) Round of 16 second leg on the 13th.

In addition, both teams engaged in a fierce battle that went to penalties that day. Although Real Madrid eventually won and advanced to the quarterfinals, the extensive playing time of over 120 minutes took a toll on their stamina.

However, Real Madrid had to play again without even 3 days of rest. The illustrious Ancelotti, with a record of five UCL titles, held grievances against La Liga for this reason.

In the post-match press conference, Ancelotti stated, "This team possesses special characteristics and commitment. I can't help but express gratitude for their incredible efforts from January 3rd to today," and then declared, "I believe today will be the last game for us to play with less than 72 hours of rest. We will not do this again."

He also noted, "I requested twice to La Liga to change the match time (for the Villarreal match). However, nothing happened. But this is the last time."

Naturally, the lack of rest leads to the risk of injuries. This is especially true for teams like Real Madrid that compete in multiple tournaments, including the league, UCL, and Copa del Rey. Real Madrid currently has gaps in its defense due to injuries to Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Dani Ceballos, Jesus Vallejo, and Ferland Mendy.

Ancelotti has also pointed out this issue. In September, he said, "We reviewed what we could do about injuries, but it is not in our hands. The schedule is too demanding. A new tournament is coming up, and we don't know what will happen. It may be more interesting, or it may not be."

He continued, "If the managing bodies do not start thinking that players are getting injured from playing too many games, there will be problems. I urge that the number of matches should be reduced to create a more attractive tournament."

However, nothing has changed. In addition, Real Madrid must participate in the expanded Club World Cup starting this season. The challenge begins right after the A-match break in March. After facing Leganes on the 30th in a league match, Real Madrid is scheduled to play Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey on April 2, Valencia in the league on April 5, and Arsenal in the UCL quarterfinals on April 9.

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