The “72-hour” affair, as many Spanish media outlets have dubbed it in recent days, already seems to be having repercussions.
LaLiga has just announced the dates and times of the matches for Matchday 31 of the league. Real Madrid, who are scheduled to face Deportivo Alavés at that time, seem to have won their case after threatening not to travel to the match if the rest period did not exceed 72 hours.
Carlo’s anger
“This is the last time we play with less than 72 hours of rest. We’ll never do it again. We’ve asked LaLiga twice to change the schedule and nothing has happened. This is the last time,” the Italian coach fumed just five days ago, after his team’s narrow 1-2 victory over Villarreal.
A threat that resonated everywhere, both in the media and among the leaders of Spanish football. Javier Tebas obviously reacted to the issue, but without ever implying that he, as president of La Liga, would take these threats seriously.
La Liga Backed into a Corner
And yet, today’s announcement of the schedule for Matchday 31 of the league suggests that Real Madrid has managed to make itself heard. For this matchday, which falls between the two Champions League clashes against Arsenal, Real Madrid will play Deportivo Alavés in Mendizorrotza on Sunday, April 13th at 4:15 p.m.
The Madrid players will therefore play this match more than 72 hours after the previous one, and will also have the minimum rest period (75 hours to be precise) required before playing the return leg at the Santiago Bernabéu against the Gunners.
Let’s remember, however, that despite Real Madrid’s recent complaints, the 72-hour minimum rest period is by no means mandatory. No regulations, either Spanish or international, impose a 72-hour rest period between matches. This hasn’t stopped Ancelotti from speaking out again today against the schedule, which he considers too busy.
Ancelotti persists and continues
On the occasion of an individual award presented to him in Italy this Thursday (the Tommaso Maestrelli Trophy), the coach did not forget to mention the excessive match load that affects all major European clubs.
“We have a long end to the season ahead of us, with a very demanding schedule that exposes several players to the risk of injury. I think the institutions must intervene to better manage the situation,” Carlo Ancelotti reiterated, between two thank-you notes.
Leave a Reply