Atlético de Madrid face a race against the clock as they prepare for the Madrid Derby against Real Madrid, just hours after their comeback win to Rayo Vallecano. In total, Diego Simeone’s side will have less than 65 hours of rest before hosting the LaLiga leaders at the Metropolitano.

How much recovery time does Atlético have?

The final whistle against Rayo blew at 11:29 PM on Wednesday, and the derby against Real Madrid is scheduled for Saturday at 4:15 PM. That gives Simeone’s players just 64 hours and 46 minutes between the two matches—well below the 72 hours of rest recommended by FIFA and players’ unions for such demanding calendars.

What’s the recovery plan?

After the victory over Rayo, Simeone said:

“I hope they recover in the best way. Winning always makes recovery much easier.”

On Thursday morning, at 11:00, the squad trained at Majadahonda, with a recovery session for starters and more intense work for substitutes. On Friday, the team will hold their final session at the Metropolitano, focused on physical regeneration to ensure freshness for the derby.

How is Simeone rotating amid the heavy schedule?

The Argentine coach has been forced to carefully manage his squad in a packed stretch: five matches in just 14 days, including clashes with Villarreal, Liverpool, Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano, and now Real Madrid. Against Rayo, he made four changes to the starting XI to manage workloads, leaving regular starters like Nico González and Giuliano Simeone on the bench—both are expected to start on Saturday.

Which players are the most fatigued?

The physical toll is evident on several key players. Marcos Llorente has played every single minute of the last four games, while others like Jan Oblak, Robin Le Normand, Koke, Julián Álvarez, and Antoine Griezmann have also logged heavy minutes. Managing their energy will be vital for Simeone if Atlético are to maintain their trademark intensity in a derby that could define the direction of their season.