Monday Night Blues: The Four La Liga Clubs Stuck with the Worst Kickoff Times
Espanyol, Getafe, Elche and Sevilla bearing the brunt of La Liga's unpopular Monday and Friday scheduling, while Barcelona and Madrid escape entirely.
La Liga’s fixture scheduling continues to frustrate supporters across Spain, with four clubs disproportionately saddled with the unpopular Monday and Friday night slots that fans absolutely despise.
The Unlucky Four
According to data compiled by @statsPrimera covering the first 23 matchdays (with all kickoff times now confirmed), four clubs are taking the lion’s share of these awkward timeslots:
- Espanyol and Getafe lead the unfortunate pack with eight matches scheduled outside weekend slots
- Elche and Sevilla follow closely with seven matches each on Mondays and Fridays
These scheduling decisions have significant impacts on match attendance, atmosphere, and the ability of away supporters to travel to fixtures. It’s proper dog’s dinner for the loyal fans trying to follow their teams.
The Privileged Two
In stark contrast, Spanish football’s aristocracy remain completely untouched by these inconvenient kickoffs:
- Barcelona and Real Madrid have not played a single Monday or Friday fixture in the period analyzed
- And according to the report, they likely won’t be scheduled for any such matches
Friday Night Kings
When breaking down the specific days, some clear patterns emerge:
- Getafe tops the Friday night charts with six matches scheduled
- Elche, Girona and Real Sociedad follow with five Friday fixtures each
Monday Night Specialists
- Sevilla leads the Monday night allocation with five matches
- Espanyol follows with four Monday fixtures
- Rayo Vallecano and Real Betis have each been handed three Monday night games
Fan Backlash Growing
The scheduling imbalance has not gone unnoticed, with supporters increasingly vocal about their dissatisfaction. Social media campaigns have gathered momentum, while more visible protests have appeared in stadiums.
Rayo Vallecano’s faithful at Vallecas have been particularly prominent, displaying banners expressing their frustration with La Liga’s scheduling decisions that prioritize television audiences over matchgoing supporters.
For these clubs’ supporters, it’s becoming clear that when it comes to convenient kickoff times, they’re not exactly having a bubble bath.