Football
Real Madrid Threaten to Refuse Playing La Liga Matches
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti insists his team will refuse to play future La Liga matches unless his players are given a minimum 72 hours’ rest between fixtures. The Italian boss is fuming that his players were forced to play Villarreal in La Liga on Saturday (6:30pm local time), despite facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday (9pm local time).
Ancelotti’s men played 120 minutes against Atletico, plus a penalty shootout, as they secured their place in the Champions League quarter-finals following a controversial victory at the home of their neighbours. Real Madrid won the shootout after Atletico forward Julian Alvarez had a penalty disallowed for an alleged double touch of the ball.
Los Blancos were back in action on Saturday and secured a narrow 2-1 victory away at Villarreal thanks to a first-half brace from Ballon d’Or contender Kylian Mbappe. Juan Foyth opened the scoring for the Yellow Submarine in the seventh minute, but Mbappe turned the game on its head with a six-minute brace midway through the first half.
The result means Real Madrid open up a three-point gap between themselves and second-placed Barcelona at the top of La Liga. However, Barca have two games in hand over the reigning European champions and will join their fierce rivals on 60 points if they defeat Atletico on Sunday evening.
| La Liga Standings (March 16) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Position | Club | Games | Points |
| 1. | Real Madrid | 28 | 60 |
| 2. | Barcelona | 26 | 57 |
| 3. | Atletico Madrid | 27 | 56 |
Ancelotti Says Real Madrid Will Refuse to Play Matches
Real Madrid want minimum 72 hours’ rest between games
Ancelotti complained about the congested calendar on Friday, blaming “television rights and money”, while adding “the last thing on anyone’s mind is the players’ recovery.” Real Madrid’s TV channel, meanwhile, stated ahead of the game against Villarreal: “Real Madrid will ask for FIFA’s support … so that this never happens again.”
Per ESPN, Ancelotti confirmed the club’s stance to reporters following Saturday’s game at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica. The revered Italian coach, who is currently ranked as the world’s second-best manager, said:
“I think today is the last time that we’ll play a game before 72 hours. We won’t do it again, without 72 hours of rest. We asked La Liga to change the time of the game twice, and they didn’t do anything. But this is the last time.”
Asked if his time will show up to a future game if scheduled without 72 hours rest, Ancelotti responded: “No, of course not.” On the victory over Villarreal, he added: “I’m very proud of the players, it was a tricky game. And the opponent plays very well. We hung on, above all in the second half. The team was exhausted but that’s normal. It’s a victory that says a lot about this team and the resources in this squad.”
🚨 Real Madrid will never play a match again without at least 72 hours of rest, as recommended by FIFA. Real Madrid will not allow it again. @AlvarodelaLama [RMTV] pic.twitter.com/SAtTVQIytU — Madrid Xtra (@MadridXtra) March 15, 2025
FIFA recommend a minimum of 72 hours’ rest between fixtures, in order to protect players’ health. However, there’s no law in place for leagues to stick to this guidance, with competition organisers ultimately responsible for timings. La Liga are responsible for determining kick-off times for league fixtures in Spain’s top tier but now find themselves under increased pressure from Real Madrid to ensure they give teams sufficient rest between matches in future.
Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford is reportedly determined to force a move to Barcelona this summer.
The England international joined Aston Villa on loan in January and has impressed with four goals and six assists in 17 outings under Unai Emery, although a recent hamstring issue has kept him sidelined.
Villa hold an option to sign Rashford permanently for £40 million this summer, but they have yet to decide whether to trigger it—and they do not possess first refusal, meaning Manchester United could sell him elsewhere.
Rashford was heavily linked with Barcelona in January, but financial constraints scuppered a deal and opened the door for Villa.
Rashford ’looking to force’ Barcelona switch
Despite enjoying his spell in the West Midlands, Barcelona remain Rashford’s preferred destination.
According to Sport, his representatives have approached the Catalan giants about a potential loan move, though United would need to subsidise part of his £325,000‑a‑week wages—or Barcelona would have to agree to a significant pay cut on his behalf.
Clubs in Saudi Arabia and across the Premier League are also monitoring the situation, but Rashford has made it clear that he only wants to join Hansi Flick’s side.
Would Man United accept another loan deal?
Selling Rashford this summer would count as pure profit for United under Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules, thanks to his home‑grown status.
While United are keen to reinvest any funds raised, it’s hard to see them agreeing to another loan—especially one that leaves them covering part of his salary.
That said, they might contemplate a move with a mandatory purchase clause in 2026, giving them both short‑term flexibility and long‑term certainty.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly growing concerned that Ruben Amorim might walk away from Manchester United.
After Erik ten Hag’s dismissal in October 2024 following a 2-1 loss to West Ham, United moved swiftly to bring in Amorim on the back of his success at Sporting CP.
Yet translating his tactics at Old Trafford has proven challenging, with the Red Devils languishing in 16th place in the Premier League.
Despite domestic struggles, United have excelled in Europe and stand one win away from securing Champions League football by beating Tottenham Hotspur in Wednesday’s Europa League final.
Amorim himself hinted at the possibility of an early exit if results don’t improve, saying, “It’s a decisive moment in the history of the club. We need to be really strong in the summer and to be brave because we will not have a next season like this. If we start like this, if the feeling is still here, we should give the space to different people.”
According to The Sun, Ratcliffe—United’s minority owner and INEOS chairman—“remains concerned” that Amorim may decide “enough is enough after a campaign of chaos.”
The report suggests Ratcliffe views the 40-year-old Portuguese as somewhat of a “loose cannon” and wants reassurance that Amorim will honour the final two years of his contract rather than depart and leave the club in disarray.
Ahead of the crucial final, Amorim appeared undeterred, insisting on his belief in the squad’s readiness. “I am really confident. I feel that my players are ready for this game. They know what it means, not just for us but for our fans and for the club.
After this season, we are ready to fight for the one thing that can help us remember this season in a different way.
So I am really confident.” With both Ratcliffe’s concerns and Amorim’s resolve laid bare, all eyes will be on Wembley to see whether the Europa League final serves as a turning point for United’s tumultuous season.
Football
Ex Arsenal star Lacazette’s home burgled while playing final game for Lyon with cash and jewellery stolen
Alexandre Lacazette’s home was targeted by burglars while he was on the pitch for Lyon last night, according to French outlet Le Progrès.
The 33‑year‑old, playing his 391st and final match for his boyhood club, was facing Angers at Groupama Stadium when two intruders are reported to have broken into his residence in Lyon’s fifth arrondissement around 9.30 pm local time.
Once inside, they accessed a safe and made off with jewellery, luxury leather goods and cash, with the stolen haul “claimed to be tens of thousands of pounds.”
Security cameras captured the suspects, and police launched an investigation after the burglary was officially reported at 1.30 am.
Lacazette rose through Lyon’s youth system before joining Arsenal in 2017, then returned to France in 2022.
Manager Paulo Fonseca recently confirmed that Lacazette will depart when his contract expires this summer, as Lyon look to balance the books amid financial concerns.
In recognition of his service, supporters unveiled a giant tifo before kick‑off, and Lacazette honored them by scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Angers—his 200th and 201st for the club—securing a sixth‑place finish.
He joins several teammates who have suffered similar crimes in recent seasons, including Georges Mikautadze, who was robbed at gunpoint last December, and Dejan Lovren, who faced an attempted break‑in in October 2023.
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