Why Barcelona, Real Madrid Aren’t Playing This Weekend

The two bitter rivals will have to wait until next week to try and get revenge from their Champions League eliminations.

Lamine Yamal (left) and Kylian Mbappé have the weekend off. | Guillermo Martinez/Ulrik Pedersen/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Only seven games remain in the 2025–26 La Liga season, with bitter rivals Barcelona and Real Madrid once again headlining the title race, one that will have to wait a little longer to resume.

Barcelona hold a nine-point advantage over Real Madrid at the summit after Los Blancos’ underwhelming draw against Girona allowed Barça to capitalize in the Catalan derby with Espanyol a day later. It will take a mighty comeback for Álvaro Arbeloa’s men to dethrone the Blaugrana, who now own the biggest lead of the season.

With the two Spanish giants both falling out of the Champions League in the quarterfinals midweek, La Liga glory is all either team is playing for until the end of the season, and it represents their only hope of going into the summer with a major trophy.

But the title contenders will be forced to spend a few more days contemplating their recent European elimination without taking the pitch, because for the first time since the winter break, La Liga action is interrupted by something other than an international break.

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Why Barcelona, Real Madrid Aren’t Playing This Weekend?

The Copa Del Rey final is the only top-flight game in Spain this weekend. | IMAGO/Ricardo Larreina Amador

Barcelona and Real Madrid won’t be in action this weekend because La Liga is postponing Gameweek 32 to make way for the 2025–26 Copa del Rey final between Atlético Madrid and Real Sociedad.

The final of the most historic tournament in Spanish soccer will be the standalone fixture this weekend, with no other top-flight match scheduled aside from the title bout between Diego Simeone and Pellegrino Matarazzo’s trophy-craving sides.

Barcelona and Real Madrid produced a thriller of a Copa del Rey final last season, but both saw their cup campaigns end prematurely this term. Los Blancos endured an embarrassing elimination against second-tier side Albacete in the round of 16, while Barcelona’s title defense came to an end in the semifinals against Atlético.

Getting the weekend off could be beneficial for both La Liga title contenders, who now have time to rest and recover from what’s been a busy portion of the calendar. But it’s only a matter of days before they’re back for the decisive final sprint of the campaign.

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When Will Barcelona, Real Madrid Play Again

Real Madrid defeated Barcelona in the reverse fixture back in October. | Gokhan Taner/Middle East Images/AFP/Getty Images

La Liga action resumes midweek and, curiously, Gameweek 33 will be played before the postponed Gameweek 32 slate, which is now scheduled to take place next weekend.

Real Madrid are obligated to collect three points and keep the pressure on Barcelona when they host relegation-candidate Deportivo Alavés on Tuesday night at the Bernabéu. Anything but a win could represent the knockout punch of their La Liga aspirations.

Barcelona will be aiming to maintain their perfect league record at the renovated Camp Nou on Wednesday evening when they welcome European competition hopeful Celta Vigo. Failure to triumph could reignite the title race, putting Los Blancos back into real contention.

What transpires in the upcoming weeks could set the stage for a momentous occasion on May 10, when Barça and Madrid clash at the Camp Nou for the final Clásico of the season—a game that could decide the title race.

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