On March 12 at 9:00 p.m., Kylian Mbappé awaited the kickoff by Marciniak at the Metropolitano to play the Champions League return leg against Atlético. 66 hours later, he was doing the same with Gil Manzano at La Cerámica against Villarreal in La Liga. After the final whistle, he declared alongside Eduardo Camavinga: "I'm dead." Carlo Ancelotti, after the victory and two goals from his forward, exploded: "It's the last time we will play a match with less than 72 hours of rest. Never again." Madrid opened Pandora's box.
Reactions have continued in a chain reaction among teams playing in European competitions. The most aligned with Madrid's "outburst" is Real Sociedad's coach, Imanol Alguacil: "We are the two teams that have played the most matches with insufficient rest. They are not wrong because it's very difficult to compete like this."
The coach txuri-urdin was partially right. It is true that both are the teams with the most consecutive matches with three days or less of rest: Ancelotti's team has played 22 since the one suspended due to the Dana storm against Valencia, and Real has played 20. Both had to play extra rounds for not being among the top 24 in their respective European competitions and are also still in the Copa del Rey. However, Real Sociedad, with five, is the team that has played the most matches without the recommended 72 hours of rest. Although not the only one.
No reflection in any regulation
Atlético matches Real Sociedad's record, and both are followed by Real Madrid, Athletic, and Betis, with four. Barcelona has only suffered two -benefited by the suspension of their match against Osasuna- and Girona, one. "We shouldn't have played several matches. We play on Thursdays in Europe, usually at nine in the evening, and finish at eleven. It's not 72 hours of rest," expressed Athletic's coach, Ernesto Valverde.
The problem with this schedule is that there is no mandatory compliance regulation that sets a specific rest period. The closest was the Committee formed by LaLiga, the RFEF, and AFE during the pandemic, where they agreed on those famous 72 hours, but without reflecting it in any regulation. The football player unions, both Spanish and international, do have recommendations, but they are just that, recommendations.
The difference could come in 2026. The Spanish Footballers' Association (AFE) plans to try to introduce that rest period in the collective agreement that regulates professional football. Currently, there are only two articles (8 and 11) that mention rest time, but they refer to the rest during concentrations and the rest days scheduled in the work calendar, not between matches. It can be found in Article 9 of the First RFEF players' agreement: "The calendar scheduling will always respect a minimum of 72 hours of rest between matches," it states.
Artificial Intelligence for scheduling
LaLiga manages the scheduling with the help of Artificial Intelligence tools, trying not to favor any club. Many factors are taken into account, such as competitive equity, weather conditions, club requests, and fan travel. However, special mention is given to coordinating sports criteria with maximizing audiovisual rights.
Beyond regulations and interests, there is an evident problem regarding the players' health. Real has suffered 14 injuries so far in 2025; Real Madrid, 17, to mention two of the most affected clubs. Physical preparation specialists explain to EL MUNDO that not respecting certain rest thresholds "significantly increases the risk of injury in football players."
The key lies in three factors: psychological perception, muscular power, and the presence of the creatine kinase (CK) enzyme. According to various studies, this enzyme, which indicates muscle tone, recovers after 72 hours. However, Jonatan Rotaetxe, physical trainer and director of Henao Sport, argues that the ideal rest would be 96 hours because football is a sport with greater neuromuscular, technical, and biomechanical "overload," and adds that this period is the minimum for recovery but does not allow for match preparation as it does not allow for specific training. Miguel Ángel Cordero, director of Fisio Dynamic, mentions other factors, such as age affecting how quickly or slowly that CK enzyme modulates.
Lastly, the lack of rest also affects the players' psychological state. Sports psychologist Lorena Cos explains that the pressure to perform at their best without sufficient rest time "generates more stress and frustration, affecting the player's confidence and emotional well-being," and adds that it increases the risk of injuries.
Real Sociedad has already been eliminated from the Europa League, but assuming Real Madrid reaches the final match of each competition, they would play a total of 72 matches this season, not counting those played with their national teams. Some Real Madrid players could even reach 80 matches. "We are trying to enhance a show that is detrimental to the athletes' health," describes Rotaetxe about football's future. Mbappé calls it the NBA model.