Real Madrid are set to return to training on August 4, marking the start of a tight 15-day preseason before their LaLiga debut against Osasuna on August 19. With such a short window, there will be no time for a traditional training camp; everything will be done at Valdebebas, and preparations will run entirely against the clock.

This compressed timeline stems from a binding agreement that grants players three consecutive weeks of vacation, which cannot be broken. That period officially began on July 11, following the club’s Champions League elimination against PSG. The day before, July 10, is considered a working day due to travel, meaning the vacation counter didn’t start until the following morning. As a result, players will have 24 uninterrupted days off, in full compliance with the collective agreement.

The issue arises not from the vacation itself, but from the lack of sufficient preseason time. Though not a written rule, the standard three-week preparation period is a long-standing practice respected by clubs, players, and institutions. However, in this case, LaLiga has refused to accommodate the delay, despite Real Madrid and Osasuna both agreeing to move the match to October 29 out of sporting fairness. The AFE (players’ union) and RFEF (Spanish federation) also support the proposal.

For now, Real Madrid are caught in a scheduling conflict with no clear resolution, waiting on the Sole Judge’s ruling. What should have been a routine preseason has become a race against time and an institutional mess.

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