Madrid (Spain), Sep 24 (NationPress) - The schedule for this season's inaugural El Clásico has been officially announced by La Liga. On October 26, this electrifying encounter will kick off at 16:15 Central European Time (14:15 GMT) at the iconic Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

This match marks the first Clásico for Real Madrid coach Xabi Alonso, who is keen to surpass the performance of Carlo Ancelotti against Barcelona from last season.

In the previous 2024-25 season, Barcelona triumphed over Real Madrid in four separate matches, including a resounding 4-0 victory at the Bernabeu and a thrilling 4-3 win at Montjuic in La Liga. They also secured the Spanish Super Cup with a 5-2 victory in Saudi Arabia and clinched the Copa del Rey final 3-2 in Seville, with Jules Kounde netting the decisive goal in the 116th minute.

Currently, Real Madrid leads La Liga with six consecutive victories, while Barcelona trails by five points. However, Hansi Flick's team has a midweek fixture against Oviedo on Thursday.

In a setback for Barcelona, they will compete without Gavi, the Spanish international midfielder, who is set to undergo another operation on his right knee, sidelining him for four to five months.

According to reports, Gavi is expected to be unavailable until February or March after undergoing an exploratory procedure on his right knee.

The official statement from Barcelona on Tuesday revealed that Gavi underwent an arthroscopy to address a medial meniscus injury, which will require a recovery period of approximately 4-5 months.

Gavi sustained the injury during training prior to the last international break, and the conservative treatment options failed to yield adequate results.

This injury affects the same knee where he previously suffered a torn cruciate ligament while representing Spain in November 2023, which kept him off the field for a year.

Additionally, Fermin Lopez has been ruled out for three weeks due to a groin injury, leaving his participation in the El Clásico in jeopardy.