The new season will be one of the most demanding in recent history for Real Madrid and Barca. Pressure will be mounting on the teams of both clubs as they compete in the extended Champions League; on top of their local and international obligations. The season’s intensity is compounded by the aftereffects of a busy summer filled with international soccer; leaving players with little time to rest before the grueling club season begins.
Real Madrid and Barcelona are both entering the season with high expectations in the Champions League. Los Blancos, the reigning European champions, will begin their title defense at home against Stuttgart. Meanwhile, the Blaugrana will kick off their campaign with a challenging away fixture against Monaco.
This season, UEFA have introduced a new format for the Champions League, replacing the traditional six-match group stage with an eight-match league phase. This adjustment adds two more games to the schedule, further intensifying the competition. However, there is a significant gap between the sixth and seventh games of this phase, with no matches scheduled between December 10-11 and January 21-22. This break provides a brief respite from European competition; however, it also comes at a time when both clubs will be heavily involved in domestic cup action.
As the 2024-25 campaign begins, Real Madrid and Barcelona will shift their focus to domestic competitions, including the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Supercopa. The Round of 32 for the Copa del Rey will take place on January 4-5; with the Spanish Supercopa following shortly after, from January 8-12 in Saudi Arabia.
Given the tight schedule, both Carlo Ancelotti and Hansi Flick may be forced to rotate their squads for these early Copa del Rey matches to prioritize the Supercopa. However, this approach could backfire if the weakened teams fail to progress in the cup; adding further pressure to an already congested calendar. The looming concern of fixture overload is something Ancelotti has openly criticized; especially with the confirmation that the Whites will also compete in the Club World Cup next summer in the United States.
The upcoming Club World Cup is another major event on Real Madrid’s calendar. Scheduled to take place in the United States between June 15 and July 13, 2025, this expanded tournament will feature 32 teams, including 12 from Europe. Real Madrid, as the current Champions League holders, are automatically qualified. This competition could extend their season to an unprecedented 11 months, raising concerns about player fatigue and injury risks.
Ancelotti has not shied away from expressing his frustration over the increasing number of fixtures, which he believes are becoming unmanageable. “Injuries at this stage of the season are what makes things the most complicated,” he said in a recent press conference. He specifically pointed to the recent serious injury of Barcelona’s Marc Bernal, who suffered an ACL rupture and a lateral meniscus injury, as an example of the dangers posed by an overloaded schedule.
“It’s what happens when the schedule is too tight and there’s no time to prepare. You have to choose between work or vacation. And when the vacation ends, 10-11 months of work come. It’s a lot. In August the intensity is [at the] maximum and you don’t have the proper preparation. It’s a problem for everyone… and it’s sad. Very [sad]. I want to face the best players,” Ancelotti lamented.
PHOTOS: IMAGO.
