Marca: Real Madrid will face less than three days of rest for the first time this season, and the away game against Biba is only 70 hours away

According to "Marca", Real Madrid will face less than 72 hours of rest for the first time this season. They will have only 70 hours of rest in the away game against Athletic Bilbao on December 3.

Real Madrid faces less than 72 hours of rest for the first time this season, which is inconsistent with the game interval recommended by FIFA. The team will face Girona at 21:00 on Sunday, November 30, and then go to the San Mamés Stadium to face Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday, December 3 at 19:00, with only 70 hours of rest in between.

This adjustment is due to the fact that the Spanish Super Cup will be held in Saudi Arabia, with participating teams including Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atletico Madrid and Athletic Bilbao. Therefore, the matches of these four teams have been advanced to December 2 and 3, with Barcelona's match against Atletico Madrid scheduled for Tuesday at 21:00, and Athletic Bilbao's match against Real Madrid scheduled for Wednesday at 19:00.

Previously, Real Madrid had always insisted on at least three days of rest. The club even stated that it would never play a game without a 72-hour rest and would seek support from FIFA. In March 2025, after a similar incident, Real Madrid TV clearly stated: "Real Madrid will no longer play matches without a 72-hour break and will seek support from FIFA."

That statement was issued after the team had just completed a Champions League derby only 66 hours before the game against Villarreal. The club considered this an "injustice on the part of La Liga" at the time and publicly demanded compliance with FIFA's recommended rest period of at least 72 hours between each match since March 2023 to protect player health.

This rule has been observed throughout the season until La Liga announced its schedule for late November and early December. Games against Girona and Athletic Bilbao gave Real Madrid less rest than expected, reigniting the debate over fixture schedules and player protection.