Real Madrid has voiced its frustration with FIFA over disorganized travel arrangements following their 3-0 victory against Red Bull Salzburg in the Club World Cup. The club believes poor planning left players exhausted and impacted their recovery time.

Logistical Nightmare After a Dominant Win

What should have been a smooth transfer following an important win turned into a logistical nightmare. After the match, the Madrid squad spent several hours waiting first on buses near the stadium, then at the airport. They didn’t return to their hotel until around 5:00 a.m.

According to COPE, while the coaching staff was pleased with the team’s on-field performance, the off-field chaos caused significant unrest within the club. Madrid feels that FIFA mishandled the team’s travel arrangements, leaving players physically drained with only a few hours to rest before resuming training.

Unacceptable for a Tournament of This Scale

Club officials described the situation as “unheard of” for a tournament of this magnitude. Traditionally, FIFA is responsible for organizing team flights during the Club World Cup, but in this case, Madrid claims that responsibility was neglected, resulting in more than six unnecessary hours in transit after the match.

Eyes on Juventus

Despite the setback, the team returned to training later the same day to prepare for their crucial Round of 16 clash against Juventus on July 1. Internal voices at the club are now calling for improved coordination from FIFA to avoid similar issues in future rounds.

It was a night of avoidable fatigue and stress. Now, the focus shifts to recovery and moving forward in the competition.