Real Madrid are in outstanding form, recently knocking Atletico de Madrid out of the Champions League. Their dominance in LaLiga has been equally impressive, reaffirming their position among the league’s elite. However, their match against Villarreal stirred unexpected controversy. The situation escalated when head coach Carlo Ancelotti strongly criticized LaLiga’s scheduling decisions, voicing his frustration over the league’s handling of fixture congestion.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti refer to LaLiga’s schedule on press conference: “This is the last time we played a game without 72 hours of rest…We will NOT show up and NOT play if it happens again…We asked La Liga to change the time of the game TWICE. But nothing.”
Real Madrid played against Villarreal less than 72 hours after a tough match against Atletico Madrid. Real Madrid TV reported that the club requested a postponement to March 16. The request was denied. Now, reports suggest that the club will ask FIFA for relief, arguing that only 67 hours had passed since Antonio Rudiger’s decisive penalty.
Despite Real Madrid’s challenges, Carlo Ancelotti has kept the team in top form. They currently sit atop La Liga, though with two more games played than Barcelona. In the Champions League, they have secured a quarterfinal spot and will face Arsenal in a highly anticipated clash.
Real Madrid have managed to stay strong despite key absences. The losses of Dani Carvajal, Eder Militao, Dani Ceballos, and Ferland Mendy have not slowed their momentum. Carlo Ancelotti has kept the squad performing at a high level. His ability to adapt has been crucial to their impressive campaign.
Real Madrid star Thibaut Courtois delivers harsh criticism of LaLiga’s schedule
After the game against Villarreal, Thibaut Courtois gave some blunt statements about the tough LaLiga schedule: “It’s not normal after playing 120 minutes on Wednesday and the penalty shootout, with huge physical effort, to play today at 6:30 p.m…I think it was a lack of respect towards our team and our players, because someone might have got injured today. The physical toll is very high. The game could be put on Sunday before Atletico-Barcelona,” stated Courtois.
Despite Real Madrid winning both games, Thibaut Courtois expressed clear frustration over the demanding schedule. His comments highlight his leadership in advocating for his teammates’ well-being. With injuries impacting players across the soccer world this season, Courtois is vocal about the need for better scheduling to protect athletes.