‘Today is the last time that we’ll play a game before 72 hours’: Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti slams LaLiga | Football News
With Real Madrid having to play a LaLiga match against Villarreal on Saturday getting just a 66-hour rest period after their gruelling Champions League pre-quarterfinal clash against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday which went to a penalty shootout, manager Carlo Ancelotti said that this was the last time the Los Blancos play a match without having a 72-hour rest period.
“I think today is the last time that we’ll play a game before 72 hours,” he said. “We won’t do it again, without 72 hours of rest. We asked LaLiga to change the time of the game twice, and they didn’t do anything. But this is the last time. I don’t understand it. The minimum is 72 hours, money, television rights are prioritised, not the players’ recovery. Money is prioritised, not the players’ rest,” Ancelotti said in a press conference after the Villarreal match which Real won 2-1.
Madrid’s game at Villarreal game kicked off at 6:30 p.m. local time (1730 GMT) on Saturday. Madrid had played a Champions League game against Atletico on Wednesday that started at 9:00 p.m. and lasted 120 minutes plus a penalty shootout.
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In Saturday’s match, Kylian Mbappe scored twice to help Real Madrid fight back to beat Villarreal and move provisionally top of the LaLiga standings.
The hosts opened the scoring in the seventh minute when Alex Baena’s corner was deflected Aurelien Tchouameni, allowing Juan Foyth to score from close range.
Real Madrid levelled 10 minutes later when Mbappe pounced on Brahim Diaz’s blocked shot and the ball landed at his feet for a close-range finish.
Six minutes later, the French international scored his 20th league goal of the season, latching on to Lucas Vazquez’s through ball and slotting home.
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Real top LaLiga on 60 points, three clear of second-placed Barcelona, who have a game in hand and face third-placed Atletico Madrid on Sunday.
(With agency inputs)
