Barcelona vs. Real Madrid: La Liga Confirm Date, Kickoff Time of Incendiary Clasico

The bitter rivals will lock horns one final time this season.

The La Liga title race is now nothing more than a formality between Barcelona and Real Madrid. | Jose Jordan/AFP/Getty Images, Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/ Getty Images

The stage is set for the final Clásico of the 2025–26 season: Barcelona will host Real Madrid on Sunday, May 10.

Los Blancos’ rapid decline in form has made the must-see spectacle nothing more than a formality when it comes to the fight for the Spanish crown. Sitting nine points clear atop the table, Barcelona are counting down the days until they can officially clinch the La Liga title—and that day could come at the Camp Nou in the sport’s biggest derby.

Both teams have already triumphed over the other this season—Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 2–1 in La Liga back in October and then the Catalans secured a 3–2 win to lift the Spanish Cup Cup in January—but the victor come May will have the last laugh while the whole world watches.

The highly anticipated El Clásico is set to kick off at 9 p.m. local time. The match will unfold at 8 p.m. in the UK and 3 p.m. ET / 12 p.m. PT.

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Could Barcelona Receive a Guard of Honor From Real Madrid?

Eric García weighed in on the possibility of Real Madrid receiving Barcelona as champions. | Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/Getty Images

For Real Madrid, it would be a nightmare to hand Barcelona the La Liga title with a Clásico win. But there is also a scenario where the Catalans could clinch ahead of the clash, which means Los Blancos would have to decide whether to bestow a guard of honor to their biggest rivals.

At the 21st edition of the Relats Solidaris de l’Esport project, Barcelona’s Eric García was asked if he would rather win the title against Real Madrid or host them as the already-crowned champions.

“If Real Madrid has to give us a guard of honor, it means we’ve already won La Liga. And then the question of what I prefer is answered.

“I don’t really control the ‘what ifs.’ But when a rival beats you in a final or wins a title, the least you can do is show respect. If it were up to us, we would do it no matter who the rival was. If we find ourselves in that situation, we’ll see what happens.”

El Chiringuito TV report that Real Madrid would not give Hansi Flick’s men a guard of honor, though, which sets up another intriguing wrinkle to the upcoming Clásico should Barcelona indeed clinch the title in the coming weeks.

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Real Madrid Playing for Pride in Camp Nou Return

Vinicius Junior will hope to lead Real Madrid to victory in hostile territory. | Oscar J. Barroso/Europa Press/Getty Images

Not only do Real Madrid have the disadvantage of playing the season’s final Clásico away from home, but they must do so at the Camp Nou for the first time since the iconic venue reopened amid major ongoing renovation plans.

Flick’s men have turned their hallowed ground into a fortress over the last five months. Barcelona have won 15 of their 16 matches at the Camp Nou across all competitions since they made their return in late November.

Only Atlético Madrid managed to defeat Barcelona at home during that stretch, and that 2–0 Champions League loss came when the hosts had 10 men for the entire second half. In La Liga action, the defending Spanish champions have yet to drop points at the Camp Nou, spelling trouble for a Real Madrid side desperate for something to celebrate.

After all, what was billed to be a title-deciding Clásico is now for nothing more than pride for Álvaro Arbeloa’s men. Recently knocked out of the Champions League and with no hope of winning La Liga, they must travel to the hardest place to play in Spain and try to avoid even more despair in 2025–26.

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