Why don’t Real Madrid and Barcelona play their La Liga matches this weekend?

All around the world, fans of the Beautiful Game check the Spanish schedule to find out when the big two are heading out onto the pitch.

Across Europe, the United States every other corner of the globe, eyes fixate on any games involving the behemoths of Spanish football. That’s right, when Real Madrid or Barcelona are in action, other tasks are paused, screens or audio devices are switched on, and focus turns instead to the likes of Bellingham, Vinicius, Lewandowski and Gavi. So, why is neither team showing up in LaLiga fixtures this weekend? It’s pretty simple.

Real Madrid and Barcelona in Clásico cup final

If you’ve been busy these last few days, you may have missed that both these clubs have been out in Saudi Arabia (’why there?’ I hear you ask) playing in the Spanish Super Cup. The semifinals saw Madrid beat city rivals Atlético in a pulsating match, while Barça edged out Osasuna, the relative minnows of the Final Four. Sunday sees the eternal rivalry return in a much-anticipated Clásico in Riyad.

And that is why Carlo Ancelotti and Xavi Hernández have no domestic league action to handle.

What games have been postponed for Madrid and Barça?

With attention away from Spain, it’s not long until both clubs return to LaLiga duty. Barcelona will host Osasuna (incredible timing) on Tuesday 16 January while Madrid make the very short trip to face Getafe (it’s a 25-minute drive from the Santiago Bernabéu to the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez stadium).

Football never stops... and don’t we just love it?!