Furious Carlo Ancelotti threatens to BOYCOTT LaLiga games before Real Madrid’s Champions League clash with Arsenal

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CARLO Ancelotti says Real Madrid will now BOYCOTT LaLiga games scheduled with less than 72 hours rest beforehand.

Madrid beat Villarreal 2-1 on Saturday but the match kicked off 67 hours after his side’s penalty shootout victory over Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

 Carlo Ancelotti, head coach of Real Madrid, looks on during the Spanish league, LaLiga EA Sports, football match played between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at La Ceramica stadium on March 15, 2025, in Villarreal, Spain. (Photo By Irina R. Hipolito/Europa Press via Getty Images)Carlo Ancelotti has threatened to boycott future LaLiga games after Real Madrid won 2-1 at Villarreal
 Photo by Action Press/REX/Shutterstock (15194787fm) Team Real celebrates victory, Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid, Football, Champions League, Eighth final rematch Champions League eighth round: Atletico Madrid vs. Real Madrid 1-0, Riyadh Metropolitan Air Station, Spain - 12 Mar 2025It comes after the team claimed a victory in a challenging 120-minute game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday
Real Madrid's Brazilian forward #11 Rodrygo (R), Real Madrid's Spanish defender #20 Francisco Garcia (C), and Real Madrid's French forward #09 Kylian Mbappe react during the Spanish League football match between Villarreal CF and Real Madrid CF at La Ceramica Stadium in Vila-real on March 15, 2025. (Photo by JOSE JORDAN / AFP) (Photo by JOSE JORDAN/AFP via Getty Images)Ancelotti said his players were exhausted without a 72-hour recovery
 Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid reacts during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 second leg match between Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid C.F. at Estadio Wanda Metropolitano on March 12, 2025 in Madrid, Spain. (Photo by Alvaro Medranda Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)Jude Bellingham was one of 11 players to play 120 minutes against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday

Ancelotti claimed Madrid had contacted LaLiga twice to ask for the time of Saturday’s 5:30pm game to be changed.

Madrid travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal in the quarter-finals of the Champions League on April 8.

The Italian manager then said it would be “the last time” such scheduling was arranged.

He fumed: “The explanation (for the win in the circumstances) is that this team has something special, character, commitment.

“But they can’t always do it, sometimes I even get angry with them.

“We have to thank these players for their tremendous effort since January 3. Even more so today.

“I think today is the last game we will play with less than 72 hours rest. We will never do it again.

“We have asked LaLiga twice to change the time of the game and nothing has happened, but this is the last time.”

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LaLiga sources indicated Madrid did not make a request regarding the Villarreal game before the schedule for this weekend’s match round was confirmed, according to The Athletic.

The need for a 72-hour rest period between games has been raised to Fifa by player unions, but it’s not mandatory.

European mid-week competitors Barcelona, Atletico, Real Sociedad and Athletic Club all have league fixtures scheduled for Sunday.

Madrid saw themselves 1-0 down after Juan Foyth‘s seventh minute goal, before Kylian Mbappe‘s quick-fire double secured the turn around.

Ancelotti could not rotate his team on Saturday, considering the league standings.

Los Blancos are currently first in the LaLiga table with 60 points, while Barcelona sit three points behind, and Atletico four.

Meanwhile, Barca have another extra game following the postponement against Osasuna a week ago.

Ancellotti added: “It was a trap game, because of everything that happened.

“Because of the hours of rest and because of the strength of the opponent, who are a good team, but we watered down physically.

“The team ended up exhausted, it’s quite normal. It’s a victory that says a lot about this team and the resources of this squad.”

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