Madrid (Spain), Sep 24 (IANS) Spain’s La Liga announced on Wednesday the date for this season’s first El Clásico between archrivals Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. The highly anticipated clash will take place at 16:15 Central European Time (14:15 GMT) on October 26 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

This will be the first match in charge of a Clásico for Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who will aim to improve on Carlo Ancelotti’s record against Barcelona last season.

In the 2024-25 season, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid four times: winning 4-0 at the Bernabeu and 4-3 at Montjuic in La Liga, as well as triumphing in the Spanish Super Cup final with a 5-2 victory in Saudi Arabia, and winning the Copa del Rey final 3-2 in Seville, with Jules Kounde scoring the winning goal in the 116th minute.

Real Madrid currently lead the La Liga with six wins from six matches, while Barcelona is five points behind. But Hansi Flick’s side still has a midweek match in Oviedo scheduled for Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Barcelona will be going into the match without Spain international midfielder Gavi, who needs another operation on his right knee that will keep him out for four to five months.

As per earlier reports, Gavi is out of action until February or March after he underwent an exploratory operation on his right knee on Tuesday.

The Barcelona website explained on Tuesday evening that Gavi “has had an arthroscopy to resolve a medial meniscus injury, which was sutured to preserve the meniscus,” adding that the “recovery time is estimated at around 4-5 months.”

Gavi suffered the injury in training before the last international break and had been following a “conservative” treatment that had not given the necessary results.

The injury is to the same knee where Gavi suffered a torn cruciate ligament while playing for Spain in November 2023, which kept him out of action for a year.

The news comes after it was confirmed that Fermin Lopez will be out of action for three weeks with a groin injury. Lopez has suffered a groin injury that will sideline him until after the next international break, which puts him in serious doubt for the El Clásico.

–IANS

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