LaLiga EA Sports and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) could have a new disagreement over the making of the calendar for the highest category of Spanish football. The competition chaired by Javier Tebas confirmed the schedules for the two matches brought forward from matchday 19, due to the dispute of the Spanish Super Cup in January, ignoring an instruction from the RFEF.
The Federation had requested LaLiga not to schedule matches for Tuesday, December 2nd, as the women's national team will play the second leg of the UEFA Nations League final against Germany that day. The match at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid does not yet have a confirmed time, but the idea is to give maximum media attention to the event.
Barça-Atlético to coincide with the Women's Nations League final
However, LaLiga chose that day as the date for the match between FC Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid. The match will be played from 9:00 p.m. on Catalan soil, waiting to confirm the venue. In principle, the Spotify Camp Nou, by then, should already be fully operational in its phase 1B (45,000 spectators).
In that sense, the early match of J19 coincides with the second leg of the Women's Nations League final. Spain will play the first leg in Germany on November 28 and will have the opportunity to lift the trophy at home four days later.
The other match brought forward from matchday 19 is Athletic-Real Madrid in Bilbao. That match will be played on Wednesday, December 3 at 7:00 p.m., which makes it all the more striking that the league authorities have not also scheduled the Barça-Atlético match for the same day at 9:00 p.m.
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LaLiga's reasons for scheduling Barça-Atlético on December 2
According to the calendar, there was no more space in December to reschedule the matches of the teams that will play the Super Cup in January. The following week is matchday 6 of the Champions League group stage, and then the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey will also be played.
The Spanish clubs are going on holiday for Christmas and New Year's on December 21st, returning to work on January 2nd. The first weekend of 2026 will see matchday 18 of La Liga played and, immediately afterwards, Barça, Athletic, Real Madrid and Atlético will travel to Arabia to play in the Super Cup.
The "culés" will face the Basques on January 7 in Jeddah, while the Madrid derby will be played on Wednesday the 8th in the other bracket. The final is scheduled for Sunday, January 12, also in Jeddah. Before the end of 2025, Barça will play, in La Liga, against Betis, Osasuna and Villarreal, the latter being the match that was supposed to be played in Miami.