Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has sharply criticized La Liga’s scheduling after his team’s 2–1 victory over Villarreal. The match took place just three days after a punishing 120-minute clash and penalty shootout against Atletico Madrid in the UEFA Champions League.

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“We play when we’re told to play—I’m not making excuses. I’m happy we managed to win despite the lack of rest, but it’s not normal to compete on a Saturday at 18:30 after going through 120 minutes plus penalties on Wednesday,” Courtois said.

He went on to compare the situation to the English Premier League, where teams involved in the UEFA Champions League typically play on Saturdays:

“I understand that La Liga doesn’t like having the ‘big three’ all play on the same day, but sometimes that’s what you need to do. In the Premier League, if you’re in the Champions League, you play on Saturday.”

Courtois also pointed out that his team deserved more consideration, particularly regarding injury risks:

“I think it showed a lack of respect toward our team and our players—anyone could have been injured. The risks were very high. Our match could have been moved to Sunday, for example, before Atletico Madrid played Barcelona. It would have worked for TV, but other interests always seem to take priority.”