El Clasico: How Barcelona and Real Madrid Hope to Avoid Pre-Game Protests
With Wednesday's El Clasico taking place with a political backdrop due to pre-game protests, Jamie Easton details Barcelona and Real Madrid's route to Camp Nou.
Barcelona and Real Madrid will be lodging in the same hotel ahead of Wednesday's LaLiga clash at Camp Nou.
The two teams will make the short drive from the Sofia Hotel to the Blaugranas' home ground amid a wave of organized protests in the Catalan city.
The Tsunami Democratic protest group – formed of Catalan independence activists – says it has called on its supporters to head to four meeting points near Camp Nou at 4pm local time on the day of the Clasico. It says more than 18,000 are due to join the protest.
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Wednesday's fixture was initially due to take place on October 26, before being postponed for security reasons after a rally was planned on the same day in the wake of nine Catalan political leaders being imprisoned for their roles in the region's 2017 referendum.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) clarified it will not be held responsible for security after Tsunami Democratic announced its plans, though RFEF did warn of sanctions "if the application of sports discipline is necessary" before, during or after the match.
