Real Sociedad manager Imanol Alguacil has weighed in on the ongoing debate surrounding fixture congestion. The discussion revolves around the lack of a 72-hour recovery period between matches, an issue affecting both clubs ahead of their crucial Copa del Rey semi-final second leg.
Like Real Madrid, Real Sociedad find themselves in a similarly challenging position. Their previous match, a Europa League clash against Manchester United at Old Trafford, kicked off on Thursday at 9:00 p.m. They were then scheduled to face Rayo Vallecano in LaLiga less than 72 hours later. Ancelotti, who was [vocal about his team’s scheduling concerns after Real Madrid’s visit to Villarreal](https://www.managingmadrid.com/2025/3/15/24386674/ancelotti-we-asked-laliga-to-change-the-schedule-twice-and-nothing-happened), insisted that his squad would not tolerate such a situation in the future.
Ahead of Real Sociedad’s match against Rayo Vallecano, Imanol addressed the scheduling controversy in an interview with DAZN. His stance aligned with Ancelotti and Real Madrid. “I think it was a moment of frustration, a reaction to the sheer madness that both Real Madrid and we have endured,” Imanol stated. “We are the two teams that have played the most matches with the least rest—I would even say we’ve played more.”
A pressing concern is whether Real Madrid will follow through on Ancelotti’s assertion and refuse to play the upcoming semi-final clash. The second leg is set for Tuesday at 9:30 p.m., yet Madrid’s last LaLiga fixture takes place on Saturday at 9:00 p.m., once again failing to meet the standard 72-hour recovery window.
Imanol empathized with Madrid’s frustration and acknowledged the toll it has taken on his own squad. “They’re not wrong, and it’s extremely difficult to compete under these conditions,” he remarked. “Just look at how many players we are missing going into this match.”