Television companies to decide if Suárez plays first Clásico

Madrid – Barça will be either 25 or 26 October, the Uruguayan’s ban finishes on the 25 October...

The League calendar draw has left the participation of Luis Suárez, Barcelona’s star signing, in the first Clásico of the season against Real Madrid, in the hands of the television companies. The Uruguayan is banned for all football related activity, for biting Chiellini in the World Cup, up to and including the 25 October (though the ban is pending an appeal to the CAS). The first Clásico is scheduled for Saturday 25 October or Sunday 26, meaning if it is played on the Saturday he won’t be able to play, but if it’s on the Sunday he will. The decision on which days the games are played lies in the hands of the television companies.

Had there been Champions League games the following week then the game would have been played on the Saturday, however that week isn’t a Champions League week. However that week only Real Madrid have a Spanish Cup game (their participation in the Club World Cup means they have changed their Cup schedule). Madrid may therefore seek to force the game to be played on the Saturday, in order to have time to prepare their Cup game.