El Clasico: Spanish FA gives ultimatum to clubs to decide schedule

El Clasico, the famous Spanish football match between Barcelona and Real Madrid, is caught in a political storm and is likely to witness a change in the date and venue. After a meeting on Friday morning, the Spanish FA has given the two clubs till 10:00 AM on October 21 to come to a solution to decide on a new date and venue. This development comes after the FA had earlier recommended a shift in the venue of the Clasico after increasing protests in the city of Barcelona.

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Suggested change in schedule

The FA in their statement has also said that if the two teams do not agree upon a change by the mentioned time, the Association will be responsible for determining the date of the match. The match was scheduled to be played on October 26 at the Nou Camp, the home of the Barcelona football team but the FA has suggested shifting the venue to Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu.

READ | Barcelona And Madrid Face Testing Week Amid Clasico Uncertainty

Catalonia crisis

The talks of change in scheduling come after the Spanish Supreme Court, gave a ruling to imprison protestors for a period of between nine and thirteen years on the charges of sedition. Soon after the ruling was announced, protests emerged in various regions of Catalonia, including in the city Barcelona, which is located in the region. The club also released a statement which said that imprisonment was not the solution. It said, "In the same way that the preventive prison sentence didn't help to resolve the conflict, neither will the prison sentence given today because prison is not the solution. The resolution of the conflict in Catalonia must come exclusively from political dialogue. Therefore, now more than ever, the club asks all political leaders to lead a process of dialogue and negotiation to resolve this conflict, which should also allow for the release of convicted civic and political leaders. FC Barcelona also expresses all its support and solidarity to the families of those who are deprived of their freedom." 

READ | Spain: PM Pedro Sanchez Holds Emergency Meeting Amidst Protests

El Clasico is one of the biggest football games and features some of the best football players in the sport, such as Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique, Gareth Bale, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, and many others. 

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