Despite securing a hard-fought victory against Villarreal on Saturday, Real Madrid’s celebrations were muted by a simmering anger directed at La Liga’s scheduling.
The club is fuming over the perceived lack of adequate rest between their intense Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday and the subsequent league fixture.
The frustration, initially voiced by manager Carlo Ancelotti in his post-match press conference, has now been echoed by Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois. Speaking to Diario AS, Courtois didn’t mince his words, labeling the decision as a “lack of respect” towards his team.
“In the end, we play when we have to play,” Courtois acknowledged, attempting a pragmatic tone. “We don’t want excuses, I’m happy to be able to speak and say that we haven’t lost despite the lack of rest. It is not normal to play 120 minutes on Wednesday, penalties, with all that wear and tear, and today to play at 18:30.”
The Belgian shot-stopper highlighted the disparity between La Liga’s approach and that of the Premier League.
“I understand that La Liga does not like to put the big three on the same day. But sometimes it’s what it takes, the Premier League does it many times,” he pointed out.
Courtois didn’t shy away from expressing his strong feelings about the scheduling.
“I think it was a lack of respect for our team. It may be that we leave with an injured player due to the lack of rest. You could play on Sunday, a super Sunday, like in England. That Real Madrid play before and then Atleti and Barcelona. For TV is also good, but other interests play sometimes.”
His comments underscore the growing concern within the squad about the physical toll the tight schedule is taking, especially after a grueling 120-minute battle against their city rivals in the Champions League round of 16.
Despite the scheduling grievances, Courtois also offered his assessment of the match itself. “It was very good. I think the start was not the best, but it’s normal with the little rest we have, it was a bit difficult in the legs. We reacted well, we equalised and then we came back quickly and we defended well.”
He praised the team’s resilience and commitment, acknowledging the fatigue within the squad. “It has been a lot of work, people were very tired and the work and commitment of the team has been seen. Villareal are fifth, they play well, this ground is always difficult. They are three very important points.”
Courtois’s strong words add fuel to the fire ignited by Ancelotti, suggesting that the scheduling issue is a significant point of contention within the Real Madrid camp.
