Overview
- Real Madrid played Villarreal on Saturday, just 66 hours after a 120-minute Champions League match against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday.
- Coach Carlo Ancelotti announced that the team will no longer play matches scheduled with less than 72 hours of rest, citing FIFA's recommendations for player recovery.
- LaLiga denied Real Madrid's requests to reschedule the Villarreal match to allow for the recommended rest period, prompting criticism from the club and the Spanish footballers' union (AFE).
- Kylian Mbappé scored both goals in Real Madrid's 2-1 victory over Villarreal, but players, including Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, were visibly exhausted after the match.
- LaLiga president Javier Tebas defended the league's scheduling decisions, highlighting a recent accommodation for Real Madrid's upcoming matches, which the club reportedly requested to modify.