soccer
When do Real Madrid and Barcelona play again after the 2022 World Cup?
With LaLiga having started its 2022 World Cup break, Real Madrid and Barcelona fans face a lengthy wait to see their sides play again
On Thursday night (10 November), Real Madrid defeated Cádiz by two goals to one in a feisty encounter that was the last LaLiga match before the 2022 World Cup-break.
For the vast majority of the Madrid roster, there will be little time to rest, with no fewer than 13 players expected to be involved in the tournament in Qatar. Those who won’t feature - including first-team regulars David Alaba, Toni Kroos and Ferland Mendy – in the world’s biggest sporting event, meanwhile, will enjoy some unprecedented time off at this time of year.
“The players who aren’t going to the World Cup will have a break until 1 December, when they’ll return to training. We’ll try to arrange some friendlies. The players going to the World Cup will get 10 days off after they come back. So anyone who plays in the World Cup final (18 December) will be available for the game against Real Valladolid on the 30th,” explained Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti.
Real Madrid and Barcelona amongst teams not involved in the Copa del Rey first round
While LaLiga has become the first major European league to have stopped for its World Cup break, Spanish football presses on this coming weekend (12-13 November) with the first round of the Copa del Rey, in which every LaLiga club will take part, with the exception of four clubs. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Real Betis and Valencia have received byes to the last 32 of the competition due to their participation in the Spanish Super Cup in January, which means none of the four will play a competitive game of soccer until the very end of December.
LaLiga resumes after the 2022 World Cup on 31 December
LaLiga will recommence with matchday 15 on New Year’s Eve, with all matches expected to be played on the that day, an unusual quirk in an unusual season. As is often the case, kick-off times will not be announced until much nearer the time.
As indicated by Ancelotti, Real Madrid will get their LaLiga campaign back underway with a game against Real Valladolid at Estadio José Zorilla, while Barcelona’s first post-World Cup fixture will be city derby against Espanyol at Camp Nou.
Madrid’s win against Cádiz means they head into the World Cup break two points adrift of Barça at the top of the table. The second Clásico of the season is due to take place in matchday 26 on the weekend of 19 March 2023.