Real Madrid’s marathon – Seven days off in 75 and Ancelotti’s men are running on empty | OneFootball

Real Madrid’s demanding fixture schedule in 2025 has put the squad under immense strain, exposing the relentless nature of their campaign.

The club has endured an exhausting start to the year, with only nine training sessions to prepare for a staggering 22 matches spread across four competitions.

Their packed schedule has left them with just seven days off in the last 75 days, culminating in their recent match against Villarreal.

On several occasions, they have taken to the pitch with less than 72 hours of rest, a situation that has left the players and coaching staff frustrated with what they perceive as an unmanageable workload.

Many more matches to come

Real Madrid players are lacking proper rest. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

At the beginning of the season, Real Madrid anticipated the possibility of playing up to 72 competitive matches, a number that seemed excessive even for a club of their stature.

So far, they have already completed 48 fixtures, and the likelihood of surpassing the daunting 70-match mark is becoming a reality.

They reached the Spanish Super Cup final, progressed to the Copa del Rey semifinals, and advanced to the Champions League quarterfinals.

The numbers add up—their journey through multiple tournaments means they have played the maximum number of matches possible at this stage of the season.

Looking ahead, the minimum number of games they still have to play stands at 64, with 16 matches yet to come.

This includes 10 fixtures in La Liga, two more in the Champions League, one in the Copa del Rey, and three in the FIFA Club World Cup.

However, if they manage to reach the finals of every competition, their season could extend to 72 matches, stretching all the way to 13 July. Such a scenario would place them among the most overworked squads in football history.

Evident lack of rest

Players seem tired. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

One of the most striking aspects of Madrid’s schedule is the lack of proper training sessions. Since the turn of the year, they have only had nine days that were neither matchdays nor designated for post-match recovery.

Essentially, this means the team has only had nine full sessions to prepare for the 22 matches played so far. Now, with the international break looming, the situation will not improve.

Another critical concern is the players’ limited recovery time.

Prior to their match against Villarreal, Madrid’s squad had been granted only seven rest days throughout the year: 13 and 26 January, 2, 12, and 20 February, as well as 5 and 13 March.

This lack of recovery time has forced the team into a physically draining cycle of constant matches with minimal respite.

Previous instances

The sheer intensity of their schedule has meant that Madrid have played nine of their 22 games with less than 72 hours of recovery time.

Injuries and fatigue will kick iin. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Madrid’s schedule has forced them to play nine of their last 22 matches with less than 72 hours of rest. Some of the most extreme cases include:

Atletico Madrid vs Villarreal (March 12 & 15) – 66-hour recovery window

Valencia vs Deportivo Minera (January 3 & 6) – 68-hour turnaround

Celta Vigo vs Las Palmas (January 16 & 19) – 64 hours of rest

Real Sociedad vs Betis (February 26 & March 1) – 67 hours between games

Additionally, they played five more matches with just 70 hours of rest, including high-stakes games against Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup, as well as Valladolid, Espanyol, Atletico Madrid, and Manchester City in their Champions League tie.

By the time the final whistle blew against Villarreal, Real Madrid’s exhaustion was evident. The players had given everything on the pitch despite having little time to recover from their previous match.

Their fatigued expressions during and after the game highlighted the physical toll of their unrelenting schedule.

With so many challenges still ahead, Ancelotti and his squad must navigate one of the most gruelling seasons in their history, knowing that the battle is far from over.