La Liga schedules Madrid derby and key September fixtures for Spain’s leading clubs

The Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will be played on 20 September at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano, after La Liga confirmed the dates and kick-off times for matchweeks five, six and seven.

La Liga published the schedule for the three rounds through its official account on X, setting out a busy run of fixtures for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in September.

The fifth round will take place from Friday, 11 September until Monday, 14 September.

Barcelona will travel to face Levante on Sunday, 13 September. The match is scheduled to begin at 16:15 local time in Spain, which is 17:15 in Cairo and Mecca.

Real Madrid will again play before Barcelona in that round, giving Mourinho’s side the opportunity to put pressure on their rivals at the top of the table. Real Madrid will host Rayo Vallecano at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday, 12 September, with kick-off at 22:00 Cairo and Mecca time.

Atletico Madrid will complete Sunday’s programme when they visit Real Sociedad at the Reale Arena. That fixture is due to start at 21:00, with the availability of Julian Alvarez still to be determined.

The sixth round will begin with Real Madrid’s away match against Elche on Tuesday, 15 September. The game will be played at the Manuel Martinez Valero and is scheduled for 22:30 Cairo and Mecca time.

Barcelona will then face Racing Santander at Spotify Camp Nou the following day, Wednesday, 16 September, also at 22:30 in Egypt and Saudi Arabia. Atletico Madrid will play earlier on the same day against Osasuna.

The league’s announcement also confirmed the headline fixture of matchweek seven: the Madrid derby between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid on Sunday, 20 September. The match at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano will kick off at 17:15 Cairo and Mecca time.

Before that derby, Barcelona will visit Sevilla on Saturday, 19 September. Their match is scheduled to start at 22:00 Cairo and Mecca time.

The sequence means the three title contenders will face a demanding stretch of fixtures, with Real Madrid and Barcelona regularly alternating their kick-off positions during the schedule. Real Madrid’s meeting with Rayo Vallecano comes before Barcelona’s trip to Levante, while the two clubs will again feature on successive days in the sixth round.

The confirmed timings were released as part of La Liga’s official publication for the three matchweeks. Supporters can also discuss the fixtures and wider football news in the Kooora forums.