The timetable for the first Clasico is not unanimous on the other side of the Channel. Indeed, the clash of the 11th day of La Liga between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played at 4:15 p.m. in Montjuic, to attract the Asian market. However, this forces the United Kingdom to not be able to broadcast the match, due to a law dating from the 1960s, prohibiting the broadcast of football matches between 2:45 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. (i.e. 3:45 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. in France) in order not to impact attendances in lower division stadiums.
“We are disappointed that British fans will not be able to watch the Clasico this weekend due to the 3pm deadline imposed by UEFA. Although we are in favor of measures to encourage stadium attendance, we believe that the ban should only concern domestic matches, and not international matches., declared Keegan Pierce, head of the League for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Hard blow for the Madridistas and British Blaugrana.
