PAMPLONA: Real Madrid are to spend a third night in Pamplona following Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Osasuna due to continued disruption in the Spanish capital caused by a snowstorm, a club spokesman said.
Real’s trip to the city in Navarre, northern Spain, was heavily delayed after their plane was made to wait for four hours on the icy runway at Barajas airport on Friday before taking off.
The squad eventually landed in Pamplona at midnight.
After a frustrating draw against the league’s second-bottom side, they were unable to return to the Spanish capital after the game as scheduled or on Sunday.
The spokesman added they will now head straight to Malaga on Monday for their next game against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup on Thursday.
Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and coach Zinedine Zidane had fiercely criticised organising body La Liga for allowing the game to go ahead.
“We arrived at the stadium with the roads full of snow. We have to prioritise people’s safety,” Courtois said.
“We do what we are asked. We knew that if we didn’t come here we could lose the points but all you need to do is take a look and the roads. We also have families and we’re not puppets who have to play all the time.”
Zidane, who usually avoids outbursts during news conferences, also vented his anger.
“The game shouldn’t have been played. What we saw out there was not a football match,” he said.
But midfielder Toni Kroos said the adverse weather conditions affected Real and Osasuna equally, adding his side should not make excuses for failing to win.
A La Liga spokesman said clubs, not the league, were responsible for their own travel schedule and all clubs had been warned about the storm since last Monday.
The snowstorm, which paralysed parts of Spain, led to Atletico Madrid’s home match with Athletic Bilbao being called off on the day of the game while Elche’s home game against Getafe was moved from Sunday to Monday.