La Liga and Real Madrid could be on course for another collision over the start of the 2025/26 season.
Los Blancos are currently focused on their FIFA Club World Cup campaign after booking a semifiinal showdown with UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on July 9.
However, the club are also putting their plans in place for the incoming domestic season, in the knowledge that a run to the final on July 13 would take a bite out of Xabi Alonso's preseason camp.
The Club World Cup is a sore subject for La Liga, with president Javier Tebas outspoken in his criticism of the tournament's scheduling, and its knock-on impact on the wider calendar.
The expanded 32-team tournament has extended the 2024/25 season by a month and 2025/26 leads directly into the 2026 World Cup next summer.
Tebas has also confirmed La Liga will reject any request to allow Real Madrid to start the 2025/26 season later, to allow for a break after the Club World Cup, and that stance may now be tested.
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When does La Liga 2025/26 start?
The fixture list has been announced by La Liga - with Real Madrid opening at home to Osasuna - and the season will start on the weekend of August 16-17.
A small concession has been allowed, with La Liga agreeing to extend the opening set of games to Tuesday August 19 - where Los Blancos host Osasuna.
Current AFE regulations require footballers to have 30 days of rest in a calendar year and a period of at least 21 days uninterrupted at the end of the season.
If Real Madrid reach the final, they will likely have just 37 days before their 2025/26 campaign kicks off with the potential for no warm up games and a restricted preseason training camp.
Reports from Diario AS claim Real Madrid are ready to try again with a request to La Liga as they aim get the Osasuna game moved back to October 29, following consultation with the Spanish FA and their opponents.
Player unions and the club have outlined their view to La Liga, which demands three weeks of holiday and three of preseason, before starting the league season.
That would bring Real Madrid up to August 24 - where they are scheduled to take on newly-promoted Real Oviedo - but La Liga are expected to fight their corner in the response.
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