MADRID, Oct 18, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Political turmoil may have thrown next
weekend’s Clasico into doubt but Barcelona and Real Madrid cannot afford to
let focus waver ahead of what could prove a pivotal period in their seasons.
Ahead of their trip to Eibar in La Liga on Saturday, Barca held their press
conference a day early to allow them to begin a 589-kilometre journey to
Ipurua by bus on Friday and avoid the chaos at El Prat airport.
But the game will go ahead, which cannot be said for sure of the Clasico
against Real Madrid, scheduled to take place on October 26 at Camp Nou.
The fixture will be the club’s first at home since nine Catalan
independence leaders were jailed on Monday, a decision that has sparked an
array of violent protests in the city.
La Liga have proposed relocating the match to the Santiago Bernabeu or it
could be postponed, with December 18 a possible date, given it falls in a
week when other sides will be involved in the Copa del Rey.
Yet Barcelona and Madrid want the fixture unchanged next Saturday, at the
end of a week when both clubs, as well as Atletico Madrid, are involved in
the third round of the Champions League group stage.
“There would be a few away games in a row and not only for that reason but
to respect the fixture list,” said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde on Thursday.
“We trust our people and we want to play in our stadium.”
Barcelona, Madrid and Atletico are all scrapping for qualification in
Europe, after Barca and Atleti took four points from their opening two games
while Madrid sit bottom of Group A, desperately needing victory away at
Galatasaray on Tuesday to bring them back into contention.
The international break has not been kind to coach Zinedine Zidane, who
would have seen two of his key players injured if he was watching Croatia
play Wales on Sunday.
Luka Modric’s thigh problem is likely to keep him out of Saturday’s visit
to Mallorca and his availability either for Galatasaray or Barcelona is by no
means guaranteed.
Gareth Bale’s limping was put down to cramp by Wales coach Ryan Giggs but
he was yet to return to training even on Thursday.
If Madrid overcome Mallorca, who ended a seven-game winless run by beating
Espanyol two weeks ago, they will stay top of the table and at least preserve
their two-point lead over Barcelona ahead of the scheduled showdown next
weekend.
But Barca will be chasing a fifth consecutive victory against Eibar that
would push further into the distance their own stumbling start to the season.
Their upturn has coincided with Lionel Messi’s comeback, the fit-again
Argentinian scoring his first of the campaign in a 4-0 win over Sevilla last
time out.
Messi’s availability also increases the pressure for places up front
although Antoine Griezmann’s omission against Sevilla is likely to prove a
one-off for now, given Ousmane Dembele, having just returned from injury, is
suspended.
Dembele is likely to come in for the visit to Slavia Prague in the
Champions League on Wednesday, with Barcelona tied with Borussia Dortmund in
their group.
Atletico play Bayer Leverkusen at home and while Diego Simeone’s side may
not have a Clasico looming, they could also be on the move after La Liga
asked the Spanish Football Federaion (RFEF) to allow their game against
Villarreal on December 6 to played in Miami.
La Liga unsuccessfully attempted to stage Barcelona’s game against Girona
in Miami last season.
Atletico face three tough home games next, starting on Saturday against
Valencia before entertaining Athletic Bilbao next weekend, with Leverkusen in
between.
Fixtures (GMT)
Friday
Granada v Osasuna (1900)
Saturday
Eibar v Barcelona (1100), Atletico Madrid v Valencia (1400),
Getafe v Leganes (1630), Mallorca v Real Madrid (1900)
Sunday
Alaves v Celta Vigo (1000), Real Sociedad v Real Betis (1200),
Espanyol v Villarreal (1400), Athletic Bilbao v Real Valladolid
(1630), Sevilla v Levante (1900)