Fresh Clasico uncertainty due to threats and lack of security guarantees

The Clasico of the first round of the 2019/20 LaLiga Santander season had to be moved once and there are fresh fears over the fixture that has been rescheduled for December 18.

Tsunami Democratic, a pro-Catalan independence group, have threatened to block the streets around the Camp Nou with more than 20,000 people and there are already a reported 18,000 signed up for this.

With just eight days until the match is scheduled to take place, nobody can guarantee the safety of the fans or the players.

It was for this reason that the previous date was changed, as it came soon after the prison sentences were announced for the organisers of the Catalan independence referendum two years ago.

The idea was that things would have calmed down by the time of the new date, but Tsunami Democratic wrote "we'll see you on December 18" the day of the announcement for the rescheduled match.

Their latest threat was announced this Tuesday, the same day when it was revealed that a drone entered the Camp Nou during last Saturday's match against Real Mallorca.

"As has been explained in previous statements, this is an extraordinary situation that calls for extraordinary measures," their statement on Tuesday started.

They explained that people will surround the stadium from 16:00 CET on the day of the game, four hours before kick off, and that some of the protestors with tickets have received the relevant material to distribute.

Real Madrid's officials are following all of these developments and don't have a problem-free arrival at the stadium guaranteed.

Their plan isn't changing for the moment, with that plan being to travel on the day of the game and to stay at the Princesa Sofia Hotel, which is just 600 metres away from the stadium and which is seen in the below map.

According to the 'Jugones' programme on La Sexta, the Mossos d'Esquadra police force do not believe the match should be played due to the lack of sufficient officers to deal with the entire surrounding area.

Barcelona aren't making many statements on the matter, although president Josep Maria Bartomeu has said he doesn't see any problem if there is a peaceful protest.

"I'm not worried," he said.

"I think any peaceful act is compatible with a football match.

"The control inside the stadium is the responsibility of the club.

"Fans are free to express what they want, there's no restrictions.

"They can't insult, but they can display any kind of symbolism as long as it is in a civic and peaceful way.

"It shouldn't be postponed, there's no reason for that."

Meanwhile, the Catalan government aren't stating anything either way on the issue of whether the match will definitely take place or not.

Just as was the case back in October, the Clasico is up in the air.