Mourinho Critiques Real Madrid's Fixture Scheduling Issues

José Mourinho, the manager of Real Madrid, criticized the scheduling of the club's fixtures following their dramatic 4-3 victory over AS Roma. He expressed his frustration regarding the short turnaround between their Champions League match in Athens and their upcoming La Liga clash against Valencia.

Mourinho stated, “Playing in Athens on Wednesday night, arriving in Madrid probably at 5 am, something like that, and then playing on Saturday in Valencia, on a weekend that precedes a week of national team matches. It makes absolutely no sense.

It doesn’t seem innocent to me.” He dismissed the notion that television scheduling justified the arrangement, arguing that the demands of modern football should not compromise player recovery and preparation. Real Madrid is set to face AEK Athens in Greece on Wednesday, November 4, before traveling to Valencia for their La Liga match on Saturday, November 7.

Mourinho's comments reflect broader concerns regarding fixture congestion in elite football.