Post-Club World Cup chaos: Real Madrid left without preseason, sparks clash with La Liga

Despite reaching the Club World Cup semifinals, Real Madrid's request to postpone their LaLiga opener against Osasuna was denied by the league. The match is now set for August 19 at the Santiago Bernabéu, just 15 days after the squad returns from vacation.

One of the parties involved won’t be too happy with the resolution of the scheduling controversy. Despite reaching the semifinals of the FIFA Club World Cup, Javier Tebas and LaLiga refused to budge and denied Real Madrid’s request to postpone their opening match of the domestic season.

Instead, the match was moved to the final game of the opening LaLiga round, set for Tuesday, August 19. Real Madrid is scheduled to face Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabéu that day. However, both the club and the Spanish Players’ Association (AFE) requested a postponement—one that LaLiga flatly rejected.

The case is now in the hands of the Single Judge, who must rule on Real Madrid’s appeal. Osasuna, for their part, reportedly have no issue with rescheduling the game, making LaLiga the only opposing party.

The conflict stems from the limited preparation time for Real Madrid. While the team will receive the 24 days of vacation stipulated in the collective agreement, they won’t have the full three weeks of preseason that AFE considers essential for player health and readiness.

The club is expected to return to training on Monday, August 4. If the match against Osasuna isn’t postponed, head coach Xabi Alonso would have just 15 days of preseason with his squad before competitive play resumes.

AFE argues that three weeks of preseason—not just vacation—are necessary to safeguard players’ physical well-being. Both the union and Real Madrid have submitted this argument to the Single Judge in hopes of a favorable decision.

However, LaLiga remains firm. The organization led by Javier Tebas insists that the current calendar respects the rules, emphasizing that three weeks of vacation are mandatory, while preseason duration is only a recommendation.

Tebas has made it clear he won’t let a FIFA-organized tournament like the Club World Cup disrupt LaLiga’s domestic schedule. “We’ve already made our position clear. There’s ample time to rest, as per the collective agreement. The issue isn’t with LaLiga—it’s with the Club World Cup, which sets dates unilaterally. Even FIFPRO has criticized this,” Tebas said recently.

He added: “PSG plays the Super Cup final on August 13 and starts their league on the 17th. Chelsea begins the Premier League on the 17th. Real Madrid starts on the 19th. That’s enough time. With the squad and earnings they’ve had from the Club World Cup, a few hours shouldn’t be a problem.”