El Clásico at Camp Nou on 18 December

La Liga have confirmed that the first Clásico of the 2019/20 season will go ahead at Camp Nou on Wednesday 18 December.

El Clasico is one of the most highly anticipated fixtures on the football calendar, La Liga officials had initially requested for the game to be changed after nine of the Catalan independence leaders were given between nine and 13 years for their part in a failed 2017 attempt to split from Spain.

The original fixture was postponed over planned protests in the city relating to the sentencing of prominent figures in the Catalan separatist movement. A number of dates in December were up for consideration, with talks of a legal challenge from La Liga when 18 December was confirmed by the Spanish Federation’s competitions committee last month.

That midweek date clashes with the first round of the Copa del Rey, but Barça and Real are not involved in. There could be various postponing and rearranging of other La Liga fixtures for both clubs. Wednesday 4 December was another midweek date considered.

After 12 games of 2019/20 played, Barça and Real are level on points at the top of La Liga. Both are one point clear of Atletico Madrid and Sevilla in third and fourth respectively.

Barcelona has already been impacted by the protests, with road closures and airport delays forcing the Catalan giants to find alternative routes ahead of last weekend’s trip to Eibar.In 2017, Barcelona was forced to play its La Liga match against Las Palmas behind closed doors at the Camp Nou after Catalonia’s disputed independence referendum descended into violence.

The reverse Clásico fixture at the Bernabeu later in the season is currently scheduled for the weekend of 29 February/1 March 2020.

Barça have won La Liga in eight of the last 11 seasons, with Real collecting only two titles during that time.

Barça travel to face Real Sociedad three days before hosting their fierce rivals. Four days later they will take on Alavés at Camp Nou.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid are away to Valencia the game before the Clásico, and at home to Athletic Bilbao the following Sunday.