LaLiga Unveils Schedule for Final Matchday of First Half Season
The Spanish top flight has announced the fixture times for Matchday 19, with Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético and Athletic Club all absent due to Supercopa commitments.
LaLiga Confirms Schedule for First Half Season Finale
The final matchday of the first half of the LaLiga season has been officially scheduled, with a notably lighter fixture list due to the Spanish Supercopa taking place simultaneously in Saudi Arabia.
Matchday 19, which marks the halfway point of the campaign, will be missing four of Spain’s biggest clubs as Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético Madrid and Athletic Bilbao will all be competing for the first trophy of the season in the Middle East.
Fixture Schedule
The reduced matchday will kick off on Friday, January 9th with Getafe hosting Real Sociedad in what promises to be a proper tasty encounter between two sides with contrasting styles.
Saturday’s action will conclude with Valencia welcoming Elche to the Mestalla, while Sunday’s programme is particularly thin on the ground with just two fixtures:
- Rayo Vallecano vs Mallorca
- Levante vs Espanyol
The matchday will then wrap up on Monday, January 12th when Sevilla take on Celta Vigo in what could be a crucial clash for both sides’ ambitions in the second half of the season.
Supercopa Impact
The absence of Spain’s traditional powerhouses certainly leaves this matchday looking a bit Adam and Eve (believe), but it does provide an opportunity for some of LaLiga’s mid-table outfits to grab the spotlight without the usual big boys hogging all the attention.
While the reduced schedule might disappoint some fans, the trade-off is the excitement of the Supercopa, which continues its controversial residency in Saudi Arabia for another year.
For clubs like Rayo, Levante and others, this represents a chance to make headway in the table while their more illustrious rivals are occupied elsewhere – something their managers will surely be drilling into their players.