Barcelona- Real Madrid Classico Postponed

Barcelona and Real Madrid have postponed the Classico between the two sides scheduled 26th October at Camp Nou due to growing social unrest in Catalonia.

A demonstration is scheduled for October 26 in Barcelona following the imprisonment of nine separatist leaders for their roles in the failed 2017 push for independence, and the Spanish football federation, in consultation with government officials, said on Thursday it wasn’t safe to play on the same day of the rally.

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF)’s Competition Committee announced that next weekend’s game would not go ahead as planned and encouraged Barca and Madrid to find out a new date for the league match.They will have to uphold the clubs’s suggestion.

The statement released by the Spanish FA also ruled out the original proposal from La Liga to play the game at the Santiago Bernabeu because swapping the fixtures is not in their regulations.

Barca expressed their belief that the fixture could have been played in a statement released after the Competition Committee’s decision.

However, they put forward December 18 as their preference for when the match should now be played, with Madrid later adding that may be also the best date for Madrid.

But La Liga president Javier Tebas is against the idea of playing it on Dec. 18 as there are Copa del Rey games on that day.

In addition, the league does not want the game to be played midweek because it could hurt television rights holders. The October 26 match was scheduled for a 1 p.m. CET kickoff time, which favours the important Asia market.Earlier this week, La Liga requested the Spanish football association switch the encounter from the Camp Nou to the Bernabeu, with the second league Clasico of the season to be played at Barcelona’s ground on March 1, 2020.

The competition committee of the RFEF turned down La Liga’s proposal, however, instead ruling the postponement of the encounter “for circumstances beyond It’s control.”

Both Real Madrid and Barca were also reluctant to agree to La Liga’s request of a change of venue, with the capital side having believed it would affect the nature of the game, and the Catalan club.