Ancelotti Furious as Tired Real Madrid Faces Second Match in 66 Hours

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has stated that his team will not participate in games unless they have at least 72 hours of recovery time, pointing out FIFA recommendations.

Following a grueling schedule, Ancelotti made this statement. Real Madrid face Villarreal merely 66 hours following their penalty shootout victory versus Atletico Madrid in the Champions League .

The Villarreal A 2-1 victory achieved thanks to Kylian Mbappé’s two goals visibly drained the players, with Ancelotti mentioning their fatigue during the second half.

Even though he was tired, Ancelotti commended his team’s “spirit and dedication,” underscoring the roster’s thickness and toughness.

Ancelotti stated following the tough win at El Madrigal that this squad possesses something extraordinary — character and dedication.

He recognized the physical toll, further stating: "During the latter part of the game, the team was worn out, which is expected. This win significantly demonstrates the strength and capabilities of the team."

The manager indicated that the team has had an unrelenting schedule starting from January 3.

He mentioned that the club had made two appeals to La Liga requesting adjustments to the fixtures schedule to accommodate this. FIFA -advised a 72-hour recovery time, however, their pleas were disregarded.

"We must express our gratitude to these players for their outstanding efforts starting from January 3rd. This will be the final instance where we compete without having had at least 72 hours of rest," he stated.

We requested LaLiga to make the changes twice, but there was no response.

Double-touch controversy

After Real Madrid secured victory over Atletico Madrid through a penalty shootout, Ancelotti made his remarks following Julian Alvarez's missed penalty. contentiously banned from being touched twice .

VAR concluded that Alvarez made contact with the ball twice, even though this was almost imperceptible and provided no benefit.

The choice caused anger, as numerous people contended that the regulation was illogical and the penalty excessively severe for such a trivial violation.

The double-touch rule is now expected to undergo review.

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