La Liga Upholds March 27 Date, Leaving Barça to Cope with International Break Fallout
FC Barcelona’s request to reschedule their postponed La Liga match against CA Osasuna has been denied by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), leaving the Catalan club to face a logistical and physical challenge. The fixture, originally set for March 8, was suspended following the tragic passing of Barcelona’s first-team doctor, Carles Minarro, just hours before kickoff.
La Liga and the RFEF had rescheduled the match for March 27, a date that both Barcelona and Osasuna opposed due to its proximity to the international break. Despite their joint appeal to move the game to May 21—a date between the penultimate and final rounds of La Liga—the RFEF’s disciplinary judge ruled against the request, citing league regulations that international call-ups are not valid grounds for postponement.
Barcelona argued that the March 27 date would leave several key players fatigued and at risk of injury. Ronald Araujo and Raphinha, for instance, will only return to Barcelona on the eve of the match after representing Uruguay and Brazil, respectively, in World Cup qualifiers. Meanwhile, young talents Fermin Lopez, Pablo Torre, and Gerard Martin will be with Spain’s U21 squad, and Hector Fort will be playing for Spain’s U19 team in Italy.
With just two days between their international commitments and the Osasuna match, travel and recovery time will be minimal, raising concerns about player welfare during a critical stage of the season. Barcelona are already dealing with a lengthy injury list, including key players like Inigo Martinez, Marc Casado, Marc Bernal, Ter Stegen, and Andreas Christensen.
The RFEF’s decision referenced a similar case from November, when Real Sociedad had to play a rescheduled Copa del Rey match during the international break despite missing several players. However, Barcelona had hoped to invoke a precedent from the 2016/17 season, when a postponed match between Celta Vigo and Real Madrid was played between the final two rounds of La Liga.
For Barcelona, the ruling adds another layer of difficulty to an already challenging season. The club is fighting to stay competitive in La Liga and will now have to navigate the Osasuna fixture with a depleted and fatigued squad.
As the match approaches, all eyes will be on how manager Xavi Hernandez manages his resources and whether Barcelona can overcome these hurdles to secure a crucial victory. For fans, the decision highlights the ongoing tension between club commitments and international duties, raising questions about player welfare and the fairness of scheduling decisions in modern football.
The game against Osasuna is set to go ahead on March 27, but the fallout from this decision could have lasting implications for Barcelona’s season.
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