In the 7th round of La Liga, the Madrid Derby is set to take place. Mundo Deportivo reports that the fixture schedule favors Real Madrid.
The report notes that scheduling has always been a double-edged sword for Real Madrid. Last season, under Carlo Ancelotti, the “White Squad” firmly defended the principle of a 72-hour rest period. The Italian coach even publicly warned that if this minimum standard was not respected, the team might consider refusing to play.
However, this strict stance did not receive widespread support. While Real Madrid protested loudly, other teams participating in the Europa League or Europa Conference League, facing even tighter schedules with frequent Thursday-Sunday matches, suffered the same issues but did not receive similar attention or backing.
This season, the irony is evident. The Madrid Derby between Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid will be played at 16:15 local time on Saturday, September 27. The teams’ rest periods show a significant disparity: Real Madrid will play Levante at 21:30 on September 23, giving them 86.5 hours of rest, while Atlético will face Rayo Vallecano at 21:30 on September 24, with only 62.5 hours of recovery time.
Now, discontent has shifted to Metropolitano Stadium, where people feel that competing under such a clear physical disadvantage is unfair.
Last year, after Ancelotti’s comments regarding the 72-hour rest period, the Spanish Players’ Association (AFE) sided with Real Madrid, supporting player rights: “For health reasons, AFE has always believed that ensuring players have sufficient recovery time is non-negotiable.”
In fact, Atlético Madrid is not the only team affected this season. Celta Vigo will face Elche after only 67 hours of rest. This situation has sparked strong dissatisfaction on social media, particularly considering the difference in attention these teams receive compared to Real Madrid.
