Ancelotti Vows Real Madrid Will Not Play Again Without 72-Hour Rest

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has announced that his team will not take to the pitch again without at least 72 hours of rest between matches. This came after Los Blancos secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Villarreal on Saturday, just three days after their Champions League penalty shootout win over Atletico Madrid. Ancelotti, while speaking to reporters criticized La Liga for refusing their request to reschedule the Villarreal clash which kicked off at 16:30 GMT. He stressed that this would be the last time Real Madrid plays under such conditions, where he cited FIFA’s recommendation of a 72-hour minimum rest period to safeguard player health. The Italian tactician lauded his squad’s perseverance, especially given the fatigue and quality of their opponents —calling the match a potential “banana skin.” French star Kylian Mbappe scored both goals in the win —propelling Madrid to the top of La Liga ahead of Barcelona’s Sunday fixture at Atletico. Ancelotti, who has often voiced concern over football’s congested schedule, stated that Madrid confronts additional strain this summer as they prepare for the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.