REAL MADRID
Real Madrid’s postponed game against Valencia causes a huge problem
The resolution calls for a proposal by November 5, but there is no week off until the last week of the league season.
The Valencia-Real Madrid game scheduled for this Saturday has officially been postponed following the severe DANA storm that struck the Valencian Community and parts of Castilla-La Mancha, tragically causing over a hundred deaths.
A request was made to postpone five First and Second Division matches set to take place in Valencia this weekend, and the Competition Judge granted it, including the Valencia-Madrid match.
However, the ruling did not specify a new date for the match. LaLiga and the clubs have been asked to propose new dates for the postponed games by Tuesday, November 5. For most other teams, rescheduling should not be a significant challenge, as Villarreal are not involved in European competition, and Second Division teams (Levante, Castellón, and Eldense) have greater flexibility in their calendars. However, Real Madrid face a more challenging situation.
When could Real Madrid vs Valencia be played?
Madrid have shown full cooperation, offering Valencia any necessary accommodations. However, finding a suitable date for the match will be difficult due to a packed schedule, influenced by various competitions and potential tournament progressions for both teams. The first open week without a midweek match is from May 19 to May 25, the final weekend of the league. The match could be scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday of that week (May 20–22).
Other openings may appear depending on each team’s progress in tournaments. For Valencia, scheduling would be easier if they exit the Copa del Rey, whose key rounds are played between January and February. For Madrid, additional considerations include the Champions League’s new format. If Madrid qualify directly for the Round of 16 by finishing in the top 8 of the league phase (they are currently 12th after three of eight matches), they would have free weekends on February 11–12 and 18–19. However, if they finish between 9th and 24th, they would need to play a play-off round on those dates, which would eliminate these options. Madrid’s continued progress in the Champions League and Copa del Rey could also impact available dates, as both teams must be eliminated for a gap to open up in the Copa del Rey schedule.
An alternative option, though challenging, is to reschedule the match for January 2. This would require both teams, especially Madrid, to shorten their holiday break. After the Christmas holidays, Madrid must travel to Qatar for the Intercontinental Cup on December 18 and then host Sevilla at the Bernabéu. Valencia would also need to be available on January 2, assuming they win their first two Copa del Rey rounds.
Scheduling on January 2 would impact Madrid’s preparation for the Spanish Super Cup, set to take place between January 6 and 12 in Saudi Arabia. If the Valencia-Madrid match is played on January 2, both teams’ Copa del Rey clashes would need to be rescheduled to Sunday, January 5.
This leaves Madrid with little time to prepare for their Super Cup semifinal against Mallorca in Jeddah on January 8. Madrid would need to travel on January 6, which would allow them only one training session before the match against Mallorca. An alternative would be to move Madrid’s Super Cup match to Thursday and advance the Athletic-Barça match to Wednesday, but this would require coordination among the RFEF, Saudi organisers, and Madrid, who would lose a rest day before a potential final as league champions.