When do Real Madrid and Barcelona play next after the LaLiga Christmas break?

Real Madrid couldn’t have had a much better end to 2023 on the field. Thursday’s late victory away to Alavés was their 14th in 17 matches in all competitions, with the other three of those games ending in draws. Despite a huge injury list, Carlo Ancelotti’s men have lost just one match all season - to bitter city rivals Atlético Madrid - and are top of LaLiga at Christmas.

Madrid pull away from Barça after similar starts

In normal circumstances, Los Blancos would expect their superb form to have enabled them to open up a lead at the summit, but they are only level on points with surprise package Girona after 18 games. Few, if any, expect the Catalans to go the distance but they have so far proven to be Madrid’s main challengers week after week.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have dropped badly off the pace in the run-up to Christmas after just two wins in their last six LaLiga fixtures. Xavi Hernández’s men had been grinding out results despite performing poorly, but their underwhelming displays have caught up with them and they have fallen seven points off the pace at the top. There’s plenty of work to be done in the second half of the season.

The Spanish top flight will now take a break over Christmas and New Year, which may allow Anceloitti some time to get some bodies back, while Xavi will be having a long, hard think about where things have gone wrong for his team and what needs to be improved.

When is Real Madrid’s first game of 2024?

Madrid have less than two weeks off before they return to action, with their next match at home to Real Mallorca on Wednesday 3 January. That will be swiftly followed by a Copa del Rey last 32 tie away to Arandina, who play in Spain’s fourth tier, on Saturday 6 January.

When is Barcelona’s first game of 2024?

Barça, meanwhile, have two extra days of rest as far as competitive action is concerned, although they do have a friendly against Liga MX side Club América lined up in Dallas this Thursday. After narrowly defeating Almería on Wednesday, they resume after the festive period with a trip to Las Palmas on Thursday 4 January. They are also in cup action three days later, visiting Barbastro, also of the fourth division.