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Real Madrid Threaten to Refuse Playing La Liga Matches

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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.

Champions League trophy

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)
PositionClubGamesPoints
1.Real Madrid2860
2.Barcelona2657
3.Atletico Madrid2756

Ancelotti Says Real Madrid Will Refuse to Play Matches

Real Madrid want minimum 72 hours’ rest between games

Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti

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.

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

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‘We want him’ – Club chief confirms he wants to sign Man Utd outcast in permanent transfer

Andre Onana could remain in Turkey beyond his loan spell, with Trabzonspor keen to secure him on a permanent deal.

The 30-year-old moved to Trabzonspor after falling out of favour at Manchester United, who brought in Senne Lammens last summer. Since then, Lammens has established himself as the club’s first-choice keeper, paving the way for Onana’s temporary switch.

In Turkey, however, Onana has rediscovered his form and quickly become a key figure. He recently grabbed attention with a standout performance in the Turkish Cup, saving three consecutive penalties to help his side overcome Samsunspor and reach the semi-finals.

The moment sparked widespread reactions online, especially from United supporters recalling their earlier penalty shootout defeat to Grimsby Town, where Onana managed just one save.

Trabzonspor president Ertugrul Dogan has openly expressed the club’s desire to keep the goalkeeper. He indicated that while Onana has his own career plans, the club would be eager to make the move permanent if the circumstances align, leaving the final decision in the player’s hands.

Back in England, United are expected to consider selling Onana, particularly with Lammens now firmly established as their number one. The club will likely aim to recover a significant portion of the £47.5 million they paid to sign him from Inter Milan in 2023, with two years still remaining on his contract.

Beyond his cup heroics, Onana has been a consistent presence in the league, starting every match for Trabzonspor and playing a vital role in their push for the title. His performances have earned strong praise in Turkey, with the club currently sitting third in the table, just six points behind leaders Galatasaray.

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Man City place Arsenal ‘bottles’ for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

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Man City place Arsenal 'bottles' for sale outside Etihad Stadium before 2025/26 Premier League decider

Manchester City appear to have kicked off the psychological battle ahead of their Premier League showdown with Arsenal.

In the build-up to the match, bottles branded with the Arsenal logo were reportedly being sold outside the stadium, priced cheaply and seemingly intended as a tongue-in-cheek way for home fans to mock the visiting supporters.

The stunt draws inspiration from a recent viral moment at Stamford Bridge, where a City fan was seen jokingly “drinking Arsenal tears” during their emphatic 3-0 win over Chelsea—a clip that quickly spread across social media.

With tensions already high given the importance of the fixture, the gesture adds another layer to the rivalry between the two sides. Arsenal, meanwhile, will be focused on responding where it matters most—on the pitch—as they aim to silence critics and deliver a strong result in what could be a defining game in the title race.

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

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Bruno Fernandes responds to Manchester United star’s dig at Chelsea flop Alejandro Garnacho

Alejandro Garnacho faced criticism from his former Manchester United teammates following Chelsea’s latest Premier League setback.

A first-half goal from Matheus Cunha secured a narrow but important win for United, strengthening the position of Michael Carrick’s side in the race for Champions League qualification. Chelsea, meanwhile, continue to struggle, with the defeat marking their fourth consecutive league loss without finding the net.

Pressure is mounting on head coach Liam Rosenior, who only took charge a few months ago after replacing Enzo Maresca. While the club has not publicly wavered in its support, questions are beginning to emerge over several players, including Garnacho, whose performances have failed to meet expectations since his £40 million move from Old Trafford.

Reports suggest Chelsea could be open to offers for the 21-year-old after a difficult start to life at Stamford Bridge. He had an early opportunity to impress against his former side after coming on for the injured Estevao, but once again struggled to make an impact, finding it hard to break through a United defence that was missing several first-choice centre-backs.

Garnacho also received a hostile reception from United supporters during the match, and the reaction appeared to carry over beyond the pitch. After the game, Luke Shaw shared an image on social media showing himself standing over Garnacho following a challenge. Bruno Fernandes responded with a playful but pointed comment, while former teammate Alex Telles also joined in with reactions.

Chelsea’s broader struggles are becoming increasingly concerning. They now sit four points behind Liverpool in the race for fifth place, despite having played an extra game. The current run—four straight league defeats without scoring—is their worst in nearly three decades, with an even longer drought not seen since 1912.

Across all competitions, the form is equally worrying, with six losses in their last seven matches and 16 goals conceded during that stretch. A significant portion of their recent goals have come in a single outing against Port Vale, highlighting their lack of consistency in front of goal.

After the match, Rosenior admitted uncertainty about what failing to qualify for the Champions League could mean for his future. He acknowledged the result was difficult to take, especially given that Chelsea created numerous chances but failed to convert them. He pointed out that United capitalised on a limited opportunity, while his side were unable to make their attacking pressure count.

Despite the frustration, Rosenior emphasized the need for continued effort and improvement, insisting that the team must find a way to turn their form around before the situation worsens further.

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