If there’s one game that’s guaranteed to have the majority of supporters with an interest in football watching, it’s El Clasico.
When Barcelona and Real Madrid go toe to toe it’s almost always worth watching, and even if the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Karim Benzema will no longer be showcasing their skills in the fixture, there’s still lots to look forward to.
The battle between Vinicius Junior and Ronald Araujo is developing into one for the ages, whilst the signing of Ilkay Gundogan for Barcelona will see his working relationship with former Borussia Dortmund colleague, Robert Lewandowski, rekindled.
Jude Bellingham will give Los Blancos the drive they’ve been missing for a while in midfield, and though it isn’t expected this summer, should Kylian Mbappe sign on at the Santiago Bernabeu, it will only elevate the fixture to even greater heights.
The first game, according to the official FC Barcelona website, will take place on the weekend of October 28/29, and it’ll be a Clasico with a difference.
The match will be played at Espanyol’s former home, the Estadio Lluis Companys, which is situated high up on Montjuic, a few miles from Camp Nou which is being renovated for the next 18 months or so.
Real’s Estadio Santiago Bernabeu will host the return fixture, due to be played on the weekend of April 20/21, 2024.