Fermin Lopez, Barcelona player
Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images
According to AS, the upcoming El Clasico between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid, part of Matchday 10 of La Liga, has been declared a high-risk fixture by the Permanent Committee of Spain’s State Commission against Violence, Racism, Xenophobia and Intolerance in Sport.
The first meeting of the season between Hansi Flick’s Barça, who sit top of the league outright, and Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid will take place at the Spotify Camp Nou on Sunday, 25 October.
Barcelona with a 100% start, Real Madrid lagging behind
Heading into the game, Barcelona have won all their matches across all competitions, building a perfect record of ten victories in ten games.
As a result, the Catalans are currently seated at the top of the La Liga standings, with a six-point lead over Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Mourinho’s men find themselves in the fourth position, with six wins from their eight league matches, having suffered defeats against Real Betis and Atletico Madrid.
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Real Madrid are six points behind Barcelona. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
The Clasico, therefore will be a must-win fixture for the Spanish capital giants as a defeat there could spell major trouble for them in the La Liga title race.
High-risk fixture
And, leading up to the match, the Spanish authorities have decided to declare the contest as a high-risk fixture.
This comes amid rising tensions between Barça and Real Madrid, concerning the Negreira case.
Los Blancos have launched an all-out war on their eternal rivals over the Negreira scandal, and are leaving no stone unturned in their efforts to see the Catalan club get sanctioned.
Naturally, this has not gone down too well within the Barcelona camp, who have opened legal proceedings Real Madrid president Florentino Perez over his comments in a press conference during the summer.
Florentino Perez, President of Real Madrid, and Joan Laporta, President of FC Barcelona
All is not well between Real Madrid and Barcelona. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
With the relationship between the two institutions completely broken down, the fixture has now been declared as a high-risk affair by authorities.
As such, reinforced police presence is expected before kick-off, throughout the match and after the final whistle at the Spotify Camp Nou on 25 October.
Real Madrid have suffered defeats in the last two El Clasico encounters. They lost 2-3 in January’s Spanish Super Cup final before being beaten 0-2 in La Liga at the Spotify Camp Nou in May.
Mourinho, back in charge of the club after 13 years, will be eager to change that trend and secure an all-important victory against Barcelona.
Mourinho compares Barcelona’s Negreira case to Calciopoli: ‘Biggest refereeing corruption scandal in the world”
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has once again criticised the handling of the Negreira case involving FC Barcelona, drawing comparisons with the biggest refereeing scandal in Italian football.
Speaking to Prime Video Italia (h/t MARCA) ahead of Real Madrid’s match against AS Roma, the Portuguese coach expressed his frustration that the Spanish case has yet to produce any consequences.
“I will tell you just one thing: congratulations to the Italians. Do you know why? Because it is the only country where Calciopoli was actually treated as Calciopoli,” Mourinho began.
“In Spain, what happened, and everyone knows what happened, and it seems that things are still not quite right. So far, nothing has happened. Nothing has happened.”
Asked whether he expected the case to progress, Mourinho was equally direct.
“If nothing happens, it is perhaps the biggest refereeing corruption scandal in the world,” he declared.
Jose Mourinho, Manager of Real Madrid
Mourinho compared the Negreira case to Calciopoli scandal. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Mourinho points to the punishment imposed after Calciopoli
Mourinho was referring to Calciopoli, the major scandal that rocked Italian football in 2006.
The investigation uncovered a system involving the manipulation of refereeing appointments that compromised the integrity of the competition. Luciano Moggi, then Juventus general manager, was the central figure in the affair.
The sporting authorities imposed severe sanctions. Juventus were relegated to Serie B, stripped of their 2005 and 2006 Serie A titles and deducted points.
Other clubs, including AC Milan, Lazio and Fiorentina, also received punishments. Moggi was subsequently convicted in the ordinary courts.
Florentino Perez, Real Madrid president, Joan Laporta, Barcelona president
Real Madrid and Barcelona are at war. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)
By invoking Calciopoli, Mourinho highlighted the contrast between the decisive action taken in Italy and what he sees as the lack of an equivalent response in Spain.
Real Madrid maintain pressure over the Negreira case
Mourinho’s comments reflect Real Madrid’s continued stance on the Negreira case, which concerns payments made by Barcelona to José Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee.
The Spanish capital club believe the case has not received the response that, in their view, a comparable scandal would have prompted in Italy.
Real Madrid continue to place their hopes in UEFA taking action where they believe the Spanish authorities have failed to deliver the necessary consequences.