Real Madrid Frustrated Over Kick-off Time of La Liga Encounter vs Valencia

According to a report by Madrid Universal on Monday October 12, 2026, Real Madrid are reportedly unhappy with La Liga’s decision to schedule their upcoming match against Valencia on Saturday, November 7, leaving Jose Mourinho’s squad with limited recovery time after European competition.

The frustration comes after a difficult period for Madrid, who recently suffered defeat against Atletico Madrid amid controversial refereeing decisions before their subsequent encounter with Villarreal also generated debate.

Vinicius Junior was sent off against Villarreal, while his goal was disallowed. The Brazilian forward now risks receiving an extended suspension that could potentially rule him out of the highly anticipated El Clasico later this month.

According to Spanish newspaper AS, Madrid are particularly dissatisfied with the timing of their Matchday 12 fixture against Valencia, given the demanding schedule surrounding their Champions League commitments.

Madrid are scheduled to face AEK Athens on Wednesday, November 4, with kickoff set for 6:45 pm. Their domestic meeting with Valencia will then take place on Saturday, November 7, at 9 pm.

The arrangement means the players are expected to return to the Spanish capital during the early hours after their European trip, leaving them with Thursday and Friday to prepare for Valencia.

Club sources have reportedly expressed “enormous unease and surprise” over the decision, with concerns that the scheduling could negatively affect the team’s preparation and physical recovery.

Madrid’s frustration has increased after examining the arrangements made for several domestic rivals competing in European tournaments.

Barcelona, Atletico Madrid and Villarreal are all scheduled to play their European matches on Tuesday, November 3, before returning to La Liga action on Sunday, November 8.

Real Betis, who travel to face Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, have also been allocated a Sunday league fixture, giving them an additional recovery day compared with Madrid.

Consequently, Real Madrid are reportedly the only one of the five Spanish clubs involved in European competition required to play their domestic match on Saturday.

The scheduling difference has raised questions within the Madrid camp, particularly because the international break follows that weekend.

With no additional European or domestic cup fixtures requiring attention during the middle of the following week, Madrid believe their Valencia encounter could reasonably have been moved to Sunday.

The club now faces a demanding sequence of matches, with Mourinho’s side expected to balance their European ambitions against the physical demands of domestic competition.

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