Carlo Ancelotti and Javier Tebas Engage in Heated Exchange Over Scheduling Dispute

The ongoing war of words between Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and La Liga president Javier Tebas has intensified, with the Italian manager accusing Tebas of being "obsessed" with the club and showing a "lack of respect" toward coaches. The dispute stems from La Liga's scheduling of matches, particularly Madrid's recent clash with Villarreal, which Ancelotti claims did not allow his players adequate rest.

Real Madrid secured a 2-1 victory over Villarreal on March 15, but Ancelotti expressed frustration at the lack of a 72-hour recovery period before the match. In response, he has warned that his team will refuse to play under similar conditions in the future. The La Liga president, however, appeared to indirectly criticize Ancelotti’s squad management, pointing out that coaches now have five substitutions available but often use them too late in games.

Tebas' remarks did not sit well with Ancelotti, who hit back in a press conference ahead of Madrid's upcoming match against Leganés. "I knew Tebas was obsessed with Real Madrid, but I didn’t know he wanted to be a coach," Ancelotti quipped. "He should focus on his responsibilities. He lacked respect for Real Madrid and for coaches in general."

The clash between Ancelotti and Tebas is just one of many instances of tension between Real Madrid and La Liga’s leadership. Ancelotti clarified that his refusal to play with less than 72 hours of rest would only apply when there is no justifiable reason for the scheduling decision. He highlighted that, in the Villarreal case, both the opposing team and television broadcasters were open to a change, but La Liga refused.

Meanwhile, UEFA has launched an investigation into the post-match behavior of four Real Madrid players—Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, Antonio Rüdiger, and Dani Ceballos—after their penalty shootout win over Atlético Madrid in the Champions League round of 16. Ancelotti expressed confidence that UEFA would find no wrongdoing, stating, "The players celebrated, as they should. We believe everything was done correctly."

Adding to the tension, Tebas recently took to social media to scrutinize Ancelotti’s past statements regarding the five-substitution rule. He pointed out inconsistencies in the coach’s opinions, highlighting how Ancelotti previously questioned the necessity of five changes while coaching Everton in 2020 but later praised the rule after rejoining Real Madrid.

Tebas’ latest jab, which included past quotes from Ancelotti, seemed aimed at portraying the coach as inconsistent. Ancelotti has yet to respond to the latest remarks, but the escalating feud suggests that this is far from over. As Real Madrid prepares for a crucial Champions League quarterfinal against Arsenal, the off-field drama between their manager and La Liga’s president continues to dominate headlines.

_{Featured Image Credit: Pixabay / jorono, X / @Tebasjavier}