Real Madrid did not slip up on La Liga matchday 28. Travelling to Villarreal, Carlo Ancelotti’s side secured a 2-1 victory. However, at the final whistle, the Madrid coach erupted in anger at the league officials.
A 1-2 scoreline saw Real Madrid claim a crucial win against Villarreal in La Liga this Saturday. Before the highly anticipated clash between Atlético Madrid and FC Barcelona at the Civitas Metropolitano, Ancelotti’s men dug deep to secure three points, temporarily taking the top spot in the standings. However, ahead of this fixture, Real Madrid had openly expressed their frustration towards Javier Tebas and La Liga due to the match scheduling, which saw them play just 66 hours after their gruelling Champions League clash against Atlético.
Real Madrid’s ultimatum to La Liga
FIFA regulations state that teams should have a minimum of 72 hours (three days) between matches, but La Liga ignored Madrid’s complaints. The players, visibly exhausted, had little time to recover before facing Villarreal. This scheduling decision could have cost Los Blancos the three points, as they were up against a well-rested Villarreal side. Yet, Carlo Ancelotti managed to steer his team clear of the trap.
Right after the hard-fought win at La Cerámica, the 65-year-old coach made his frustration clear in front of the press. As Real Madrid had officially stated before the match, Ancelotti reaffirmed that they would no longer play a fixture that does not comply with FIFA’s rest-period regulations. “We asked La Liga twice to change the match schedule. But nothing. This is the last time we play without 72 hours of rest. We will not play if this happens again,” the Italian declared.
Respect to the players for their efforts
This was a strong message to La Liga’s authorities. It is worth noting that Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, the other title contenders, had their matches scheduled for Sunday evening. The Catalans, having played on Tuesday, benefitted from five full days of rest, while Atlético had four days to recover.
Following the victory against Villarreal, several Madrid players collapsed on the pitch from exhaustion, including Aurélien Tchouaméni and Fran García, who were completely drained. With the international break starting next week, and 95% of the squad, including Endrick, set to join their national teams, Ancelotti made sure to praise his players. “This team has something special. I have to thank the players for their enormous efforts this season and today.”
Notably, this was Real Madrid’s first win at Villarreal in seven years, after six draws and two defeats in their previous visits.
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