The first El Clasico clash of the season between Barcelona and Real Madrid has been postponed and will not be played at the Nou Camp on October 26, the Spanish Football Federation has announced.
The risk of civil unrest caused LaLiga to ask the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for either a change in location or date.
Both Barca and Real will now have to set a new date for the fixture and advise the governing body’s Competition Committee of their decision by 10:00 on Monday, October 21.
⚠ OFICIAL | El Comité de Competición aplaza #ElClásico ➡ @FCBarcelona_es y @realmadrid deberán acordar una nueva fecha antes de las 10h. del 21 de octubre ➡ En caso de no llegar a un acuerdo, el Comité de Competición determinará la fecha 🔗 https://t.co/dZ9UX4ooMz pic.twitter.com/8zZsc9y8s9 — RFEF (@rfef) October 18, 2019
If the two LaLiga sides are unable to agree on a date, the Committee will decide when the match will be played.
The match came under threat following days of mass protest in Barcelona after nine Catalan political leaders were given lengthy prison sentences for their roles in the 2017 Catalan independence referendum.
LaLiga asked the RFEF on Wednesday if the match could be switched from the Nou Camp to Estadio Santiago Bernabeu but both teams rejected this proposal.
Reports in Spain suggested that December 18 looked to be a favourable date but LaLiga did not want the match played on a Wednesday, with Saturday, December 7 suggested as another option.
“The Clasico can’t be on that day (December 18th), there are Copa del Rey matches,” LaLiga president Javier Tebas told EFE.
In order to change the fixture to December 7, Barca and Real’s opponents that weekend – Real Mallorca and Espanyol respectively – would have to agree to having their fixtures moved.
