Real Madrid head coach José Mourinho has criticised La Liga’s fixture scheduling, insisting that players need more time to recover after his side secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over Valencia at the Mestalla Stadium on Saturday.
Despite celebrating another important league victory, the Portuguese tactician was unhappy with the demanding schedule his players had endured over the past week, arguing that the frequency of matches and travelling arrangements were placing unnecessary physical pressure on the squad.
Mourinho’s frustration came after Real Madrid completed a busy week that included a UEFA Champions League trip to Greece, where they defeated AEK Athens 3-2, before travelling back to Spain for their league encounter against Valencia.
According to the Madrid manager, his players arrived back from Athens at approximately 3am and had limited time to recover before preparing for another demanding fixture.
Speaking after Saturday’s victory, Mourinho took a swipe at the league’s scheduling decisions, expressing hope that Real Madrid would not experience a similar situation again.
“I hope La Liga does this joke to someone else, not to us again,” Mourinho said.
“Tebas’s La Liga holds the power. I just hope they don’t pull a stunt like this again, the marathon of matches we’ve had this week. The players need rest.”
The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Tottenham manager also pointed out that the situation was particularly challenging because several of his players were preparing to join their respective national teams for international assignments, leaving little opportunity for an extended recovery period.
However, the scheduling controversy did not prevent Real Madrid from producing an impressive performance against Valencia, extending their winning run and strengthening their position in the La Liga title race.
Federico Valverde opened the scoring in the 28th minute with a powerful half-volley after Kylian Mbappé’s initial effort rebounded into his path.
The Uruguayan midfielder made no mistake with his attempt, sending the ball beyond Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala to give the visitors an important early advantage.
Real Madrid doubled their lead eight minutes later when Arda Güler finished from close range in the 36th minute. The Turkish midfielder capitalised on Jude Bellingham’s deflected cross to guide the ball into the net and put Mourinho’s men firmly in control.
Valencia struggled to find a response as Madrid maintained their attacking threat and controlled proceedings for much of the encounter.
Mbappé eventually put the result beyond doubt in the 75th minute after receiving a pass from Güler. The French forward showed his pace and composure to round the goalkeeper before calmly slotting the ball into the empty net for his side’s third goal.
Valencia’s difficult evening became worse five minutes later when captain José Gayà received a red card for a foul on Mbappé, leaving the hosts with 10 players for the closing stages.
The victory extended Real Madrid’s winning streak to eight consecutive matches in all competitions and moved them level on 30 points with Barcelona at the top of the La Liga table.
However, Barcelona retained first position on goal difference and had a game in hand, while Atlético Madrid also had an opportunity to overtake both sides with a victory in their subsequent fixture.
For Mourinho, the result provided another encouraging indication of his team’s progress, although the manager’s concerns about player welfare remain an important talking point as the season enters a demanding period.
With domestic competitions, European fixtures and international commitments competing for space on an increasingly congested football calendar, the Portuguese manager’s comments have once again brought attention to the physical demands placed on elite footballers.
His concerns also reflect a wider debate within professional football about player recovery, workload management and the risks associated with playing multiple high-intensity matches within a short period.
Real Madrid will now hope to maintain their momentum after the international break, but Mourinho will be particularly interested in ensuring that his players return without injuries as the club continues its pursuit of the Spanish league title.
