Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged on Tuesday that his team is performing well despite a demanding schedule, calling the football calendar “absurd” and “unsustainable.”
If Madrid reach the latter stages of the Champions League and Copa del Rey, along with competing in the Club World Cup this summer, they could end up playing 72 matches this season.
So far, Madrid have secured the Intercontinental Cup and the European Super Cup but suffered a defeat to Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia.
“Taking into account the absurd calendar we have to deal with, that all teams have to, not just us, we’re doing very well,” Ancelotti told reporters.
“All teams that are fighting and battling in these moments are doing very well, because it’s an unsustainable calendar.”
Los Blancos face Real Sociedad in a Copa del Rey semi-final first-leg clash in the Basque country on Wednesday.
“In the span of 52 days, tomorrow will be our 17th game,” continued Ancelotti.
