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La Liga request change to this month's El Classico venue

La Liga have requested this month's El Classico between Barcelona and Real Madrid to be moved - d...



La Liga request change to this...
Soccer

La Liga request change to this month's El Classico venue

La Liga have requested this month's El Classico between Barcelona and Real Madrid to be moved - due to ongoing protests in Catalonia.

The game between the two Spanish heavyweights was due to be played at the Nou Camp on October 26th, and the returning fixture at the Bernabeu was originally fixed for March.

However, now the league's bosses want to turn it on its head at short notice, after putting a request into the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). They want the Real Madrid home fixture to be played this month, with the Nou Camp game to be played in March.

A spokesperson for La Liga has said, "we have requested the competitions committee of the RFEF to meet and change the location of El Clasico to Madrid because of exceptional circumstances beyond our control."

The clubs will now give their thoughts on the request, and give feedback in the next few days.

Real Madrid sit top of the league after eight games, and just two points ahead of their Barcelona rivals.

Real Madrid, led by Zinadine Zidane are aiming to win their third La Liga title in eight years - with Barcelona going for three-in-a-row.

Barcelona's captain Lionel Messi said he was about to leave La Liga during the height of his tax case five years ago.

“I had it in my mind to leave at that time, not to leave Barcelona but to leave Spain,” Messi told Catalan radio station RAC1.

”I felt that I was being mistreated and did not want to be here anymore.

“I had the door opened by many clubs but I never had an official offer because everyone knew of my previous desire to continue in Barcelona. The feeling I had went beyond what I felt for this club.

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Barcelona El Classico La Liga Real Madrid