The first La Liga Clasico of 2017-18 has been confirmed for Saturday, Dec. 23, at the Santiago Bernabeu, two days after contentious elections in Catalonia.
The fixture will be played just before La Liga takes its winter break, and just after Champions League holders' Madrid return from the Club World Cup which takes place in Abu Dhabi between Dec. 6-16.
La Liga president Javier Tebas had previously mentioned the date on Spanish radio, and Madrid confirmed it on Tuesday. The game had originally been scheduled for Dec. 20.
"La Liga have released the kick-off times for the games to be played on match day 17 in the league," a Madrid statement said.
"Real Madrid will take on Barcelona at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, 23rd of December at 1:00 p.m. CET."
Tebas said in September that the 1 p.m. start time was made with the global television market in mind, particularly so fans in Asia would be able to watch.
Recent events in Spain mean there is likely to be even more attention than usual on December's Clasico.
Barca have vocally supported the right for the people to be allowed to vote in an official referendum on Catalonia's future and played a league match behind closed doors earlier this season to "send a message" to the world about the ongoing political situation.
Although recent games such as Atletico Madrid hosting Barcelona on Oct. 14 and Real Madrid travelling to Catalan side Girona on Oct. 29 passed off without any problems among fans even amid sensational political developments.
Madrid were due to visit neighbours Leganes on the weekend of Dec. 16-17, but their trip to the Club World Cup means that fixture will be played later in the season, with the date dependent on the teams' progress in the Copa del Rey and Champions League.
