Real Madrid have agreed with Barcelona's suggestion to move the first LaLiga Clasico of the season to December 18.
The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed on Friday that it had postponed the match at Camp Nou due to safety concerns amid the ongoing political tensions and protests in Catalonia.
Official Announcement.#RealMadrid
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) October 18, 2019
Violent scenes broke out in Barcelona after nine Catalan political leaders received long prison sentences for their roles in the region's 2017 referendum and subsequent unilateral declaration of independence.
A rally in the city has been called by pro-independence politicians for October 26, the day Barca were due to host Madrid, prompting the RFEF to intervene.
The Competition Committee has told the two clubs to agree to a revised date for the game before next Monday and Barca suggested December 18 as the best option.
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— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 18, 2019
FC Barcelona communique on the postponement of #ElClásico
👉 https://t.co/mJYGZTc0ka pic.twitter.com/wdQLM2YEOi
In a statement released later on Friday, Madrid said: "In light of the Competition Committee ruling which postpones the match scheduled to be played on Saturday October 26 between Barcelona and Real Madrid, and states the clubs must agree a new date for the fixture, Real Madrid wishes to communicate that the date proposed by both said clubs is December 18."
Speaking earlier, head coach Zinedine Zidane said he was prepared to adapt to any plans to reschedule the fixture.
"If we have to play on the 26th, we will, and if we have to change, the important thing is to be prepared," he told a news conference.
"I know there is a lot of debate because it's logical, but my position as coach is this: to be ready on the date that the appropriate person tells us. We'll adapt.
"I have a preference but I'm not going to tell you. We know it could be the seventh, the eighteenth – we'll adapt to this."
⚠ OFICIAL | El Comité de Competición aplaza #ElClásico
— RFEF (@rfef) October 18, 2019
➡ @FCBarcelona_es y @realmadrid deberán acordar una nueva fecha antes de las 10h. del 21 de octubre
➡ En caso de no llegar a un acuerdo, el Comité de Competición determinará la fecha
🔗 https://t.co/dZ9UX4ooMz pic.twitter.com/8zZsc9y8s9
December 18, a Wednesday, is seen by many as an appropriate date as neither Barca nor Madrid are involved in the planned Copa del Rey fixtures on that day.
LaLiga reportedly put forward December 7 as its preferred date, as it would keep the match on a Saturday, but this would require Barca's meeting with Real Mallorca and Madrid's game against Espanyol to be moved.
Barca and Madrid are also playing their final Champions League group games, away to Inter and Club Brugge respectively, within four days after December 7.
