Laliga Santander’s draw for the 2020/21 season ruled yesterday that the first classic of the season between Barça and Real Madrid will be played on October 25 at the Camp Nou (matchday 7), while the return leg will be the ’11 April at the Santiago Bernabéu (day 30). The First Division will open on the weekend of September 12-13 with the Madrid-Getafe, Barça-Elche and Atlético-Sevilla matches postponed due to having played a European tournament or promotion in August. It is unknown whether Madrid will be able to play at the Bernabéu or will have to continue using Alfredo Di Stéfano de Valdebebas in the first matches, depending on the works they are carrying out at their stadium.
For Barça, who will start the fight to snatch the title from the eternal rival -and the safest, without Leo Messi-, the League should start at home against Elche, recently promoted after beating Girona in the play-off, a duel delayed until February or March next year, just like Madrid-Getafe. Athletic-Barça on the second day has been set for January 6, 2021. Atlético-Sevilla will be on January 12. On other dates to highlight, the first Andalusian derby will take place on January 3, on the occasion of day 17, while the return will be at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán, on March 14, in a completely asymmetrical calendar, as it was that of last season.
Other derbies, such as the Basque one, will be played on December 30 in San Mamés and on April 4 at the Reale Arena, while Valencia-Levante will be on day 1 and the return leg on March 14. The innocent hands of the draw were essential workers during the pandemic: a doctor, a cleaning employee, a teacher, a police officer and the Summa coordinator.
The League will end, after nine months of competition, in the last day 38, scheduled for the weekend of May 12. The Real Madrid-Vila-real, Eibar-Barcelona and Valladolid-Atlético de Madrid matches will be played. The matches of day 19 of the participants in the Super Cup (Madrid, Barça, Athletic and Real Sociedad) will be played between 15 and 16 December.
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