Just 45 hours before the 2020/21 La Liga campaign is supposed to kick-off, the opening fixture of the new season has been postponed.
Granada were due to play Athletic Club on Friday night, but an appeal by the Spanish FA was successful, meaning that the fixture has been put back by 24 hours, according to Football Espana.
La Liga president, Javier Tebas, likes the idea of teams playing on Monday and Friday nights throughout the season.
The reason for this is that a variety of time slots makes the league more attractive to broadcasters and, as a result, that means increased revenue streams for the clubs.
However, Spanish FA supremo, Luis Rubiales, who regularly butts heads with Tebas, wants Fridays to be kept free of football completely.
?La Jueza de Competición se salta la cautelar de la Audiencia Provincial de Madrid y modifica los horarios de manera unilateral de las 2 primeras jornadas de Liga
??Ampliamos ya en @partidazocope pic.twitter.com/IGmzBAKxl9
— Isaac Fouto (@isaacfouto) September 9, 2020
? ÚLTIMA HORA
LaLiga modifica los horarios fijados por Competición
Granada – Athletic: sábado 12. 18:30
Alavés – Betis: domingo 12. 14:00
Leganés – Las Palmas: sábado 12. 18:15
Mirandés – Alcorcón: domingo 13. 18:15
— El Larguero (@ellarguero) September 9, 2020
That’s a decision, according to Football Espana, that has found favour with fans, who had always felt that the time slot was unsociable for family and work purposes.
With neither president likely to back down, this is likely to end in court if no agreement can be reached.