La Liga Rejects Real Madrid's Request to Postpone Osasuna Opener
The Spanish League (La Liga) and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) have rejected Real Madrid's request to postpone their opening La Liga match of the 2025-2026 season against Osasuna. Real Madrid had submitted the appeal, citing a lack of adequate time for summer preparations due to their commitment to participate in the Club World Cup. This stance did not find approval from Spanish football authorities, despite the club's demands to avoid excessive physical fatigue for its players.
Real Madrid's proposal had received support from Osasuna and the Spanish Footballers' Association. Data indicates that Real Madrid concluded their previous season on July 9, 2025, following their loss in the Club World Cup semi-final to Paris Saint-Germain. This meant players received a holiday period of no more than three weeks before resuming training on August 4 at the Valdebebas complex. Due to this compressed schedule, the team was only able to play one friendly match on August 12 before commencing their official league campaign on August 19.
In justifying their rejection, La Liga and the RFEF clarified that participation in international tournaments does not fall under the category of 'force majeure' that would necessitate postponing matches. Based on this decision, Real Madrid officials believe that the lack of proper preparation was the root cause of the team suffering 55 subsequent injuries. Commenting on the squad's deteriorating physical condition, club officials stated, “This way, it's impossible,” referring to the severe difficulties the squad faced throughout the season.
In the same context, figures show that Real Madrid played 119 matches over the last two seasons, exceeding the average for major clubs in Europe and South America. Most team members participate in approximately 70 matches annually when international fixtures are included. The club believes these physical pressures negatively impacted the team's stability and ability to compete after the domestic competition began without sufficient recovery periods.
