"Real Madrid have the days to rest that the collective bargaining agreement stipulates"

Real Madrid, like Atletico, asked La Liga to delay his debut in the official season after the Club World Cup. His last game was the 9th July semi-final against PSG and he has yet to return to training, so he could have just a couple of weeks left to prepare for the season. But they will not find favour with La Liga in this situation.

Javier Tebas has already warned several times of his refusal and this week he has done so again. After signing an agreement with Saudi Arabia to collaborate in the production of their broadcasts, the president of La Liga insisted that Real Madrid-Osasuna will be played on 19th August despite the complaints of the Madrid side.

"We have already given our option, which is that there are enough days to recover, for the rest that the collective bargaining agreement stipulates. The problem is not created by the league, it is created by a competition like the Club World Cup, which sets the dates unilaterally, which the Fifpro union itself has complained about," he said.

He also argued that Real Madrid have the squad depth and capacity to resolve this situation: "PSG play the Super Cup final on 13th August and on 17th August they start their league competition, Chelsea start the Premier League on 17th August, and Real Madrid start on the 19th. Real Madrid, with the squad they have, with the money they have earned in the World Cup, for a few hours should not pose any problem".