72-Hour Limit: Which Teams Rest the Least?

"We will not play again with less than 72 hours rest." This was the brief statement issued by Real Madrid last weekend through their TV channel, moments before their La Liga match against Villarreal CF at La Cerámica stadium at 18:30 on Saturday. Only slightly more than 69 hours had passed since their Champions League round of 16 second leg against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium on Wednesday at 21:00. This wasn't the first time this season, nor does it seem it will be the last.

This season, Real Madrid has played four matches with less than 72 hours of rest:

This season, Real Madrid has played four matches with less than 72 hours of rest: against Real Betis, Cádiz, Villarreal, and Club Deportivo Minera in the Copa del Rey. "This is the last time, we will never play again without this rest," stated the Italian coach in his press conference.

However, Real Madrid's stars are not the most affected. Teams competing in the Europa League and Conference League, such as Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, and Real Betis, regularly play Thursday and Sunday. Indeed, this season, three out of every ten matches for Real Betis have been played with less than the recommended rest.