Real Madrid’s recent scheduling dispute with LaLiga has escalated following comments from both head coach Carlo Ancelotti and LaLiga president Javier Tebas.
Real Madrid TV announced that the team “will never play again without 72 hours of rest.” Ancelotti reaffirmed this stance in a press conference after Real Madrid’s victory over Villarreal, stating:
It’s the last time we’ll play before 72 hours. We’ll never do it again. We’ve asked LaLiga to change the schedule twice, and nothing has happened. It’s the last time.”In response, Tebas took to social media platform X to challenge Ancelotti’s claims, addressing him directly:
“Carlo, surely Emilio will have told you that LaLiga had put the game with Leganés, next day, on Saturday at 16:15 to give you more rest before the semifinal against Real Sociedad. But Emilio asked the director of competitions of LaLiga to change it to 21:00 - surely with your knowledge and authorization, I imagine - to benefit those who came from the FIFA date. And now we have less than 72 hours between the final whistle of Saturday’s game and the start of Tuesday’s semifinal! May the best qualify for the final!! Greetings (To be continued ...).”
Real Madrid maintains that it requested a schedule change for the Villarreal match on two separate occasions, but LaLiga insists that the only formal request received was concerning the Leganés match. LaLiga previously released a statement asserting that the club had not raised any concerns about the Villarreal match until the issue was brought up publicly via Real Madrid TV and Ancelotti’s press conference.
The league also contends that past schedule change requests with sufficient notice have been accommodated. According to LaLiga, Emilio Butragueño only requested an adjustment for the Leganés match, not Villarreal. However, Spanish radio station COPE reported that Butragueño had indeed spoken with LaLiga twice to seek a rescheduling of the Villarreal fixture. The first request reportedly came after the original schedule was published, while the second was made following Real Madrid’s extra-time victory over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League, citing concerns for player welfare. Both requests were denied by LaLiga’s Director of Competitions.
If the current schedule remains unchanged, Real Madrid faces a tight turnaround between matches. They are set to play Leganés on March 29 at 21:00, concluding around 22:45. Their Copa del Rey semifinal against Real Sociedad is scheduled for April 1 at 21:30, leaving them with just 71 hours of recovery time—one hour short of the 72-hour minimum they are demanding.