Real Madrid’s Request Denied
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has officially turned down Real Madrid’s plea to postpone their inaugural LaLiga match of the 2025-26 season due to their recent participation in the Club World Cup. The team faced a disappointing outcome in their last tournament game, where they lost 4-0 to Paris Saint-Germain in a semifinal match held at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 9.
Upcoming Fixtures
LaLiga has slated Real Madrid’s first fixture against Osasuna for Tuesday, August 19, set to kick off at 9 p.m. local time, which falls 41 days after their last game. In their appeal, Real Madrid contended that the scheduling violated the minimum rest and preparation time established in the collective agreement for professional football players in Spain.
On August 16, LaLiga will see Barcelona opening their season in an away game against Real Mallorca, followed by Atlético Madrid who will play Espanyol on August 17.
Judicial Ruling
The ruling judge, José Alberto Peláez, announced the decision on Thursday, clarifying that he found no grounds to support Madrid’s postponement request. He explained that the players had started their rest period on July 11, thus fulfilling the required 21 days of uninterrupted rest outlined in the professional football agreement.
Moreover, Peláez noted that the regulations do not include provisions for a minimum of 21 additional days for subsequent tactical and physical preparation, which was one of Madrid’s arguments. Following the ruling, Real Madrid has a window of 48 hours to file an appeal against the decision.
Implications for the Season
This setback might raise questions regarding player readiness as several teams in the league gear up to begin their campaigns, highlighting the competitive nature of the upcoming season.
