Once again, Atlético de Madrid fans are up in arms against the schedules imposed by LaLiga, which seem to punish the red-and-white team with a remarkable frequency. Javier Tebas' latest announcement has once again lit the fuse among the Atlético fans. Atlético will face Sevilla on Sunday 8th December at 9:00 p.m., less than 72 hours before their Champions League match. For many people, this is a clear damage to the team and the patience of the fans seems to have reached its limit.
This is not an isolated case. Other Spanish teams, also with European commitments, will have their fixtures adjusted to facilitate their preparation, including Real Madrid, Barcelona and Girona, teams that will play their respective matches on Saturday. However, Atlético, instead of receiving the same treatment, will have to comply with this demanding schedule with hardly any rest, a situation that many fans and analysts consider unfair.
The Outrage of the Fans: "Enough of Favoritism"
The Atlético Senate Association, which brings together many of the club's members, expressed its discontent on social media, demanding explanations for what they consider to be a clear disadvantage. In a forceful message, the group tweeted: "We would appreciate a reply." For the fans, these schedules are not just a matter of sporting logistics, but a lack of respect that they consider to be recurrent on the part of LaLiga and its president, Javier Tebas.
“It is incomprehensible that while other teams in the Champions League have their schedules adjusted, Atlético receives a different treatment,” fans expressed on social media. They argue that moving the match to Saturday would've been a simple and fair solution, allowing Simeone's team to have the same rest margin as their competitors in Europe.
Institutional silence
Surprisingly, Atlético have remained silent on this issue, limiting themselves to a brief message on social media to announce the match against Sevilla without mentioning the controversy over the time. Gil Marín has chosen not to make any public statements, something that hasn't gone unnoticed by the fans. The colchoneros are demanding a firmer stance against what they consider a lack of consideration from LaLiga.