La Liga has approved the request by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid for their weekend league games to be postponed.
Both clubs were due to play Athletic Bilbao and Granada this weekend, but have now been granted permission to play the games on a later date because of the absence of some of their key players who are unable to return early from international duty.
CONMEBOL’s decision to extend their international round by an additional day meant a host of South American players would not be back in time for the weekend.
As a result, Real Madrid and their city rivals, Atletico, asked for their weekend games to be carried over. And the Spanish Superior Sports Council (CSD) granted their request on Wednesday.
“In light of previous considerations, and using the attributes which are legally conferred on me I have resolved to grant the injunction requested by [La Liga president] Javier Tebas Medrano Lopez, representing the National Professional Football League (La Liga).” CSD president Jose Manuel Franco Pardo said in a statement.
The ruling will come as a relief for Real Madrid who have many of players their players out with injuries. It will also afford Carlo Ancelloti’s men time to rest and recover.
Had the games gone ahead as scheduled, Madrid would have been without Brazil duo Eder Militao and Vinicius Junior and Uruguay’s Federico Valverde. While Atletico would have been without Argentina duo Rodrigo De Paul and Angel Correa and Uruguay striker Luis Suarez.
Meanwhile, the impact of CONMEBOL’S decision will also be felt in other European leagues who will also be missing a host of players.
For example, French side Paris Saint-Germain are one of the hardest-hit sides in Europe and will have to play their game against Angers on Friday without the services of Lionel Messi, Neymar, Angel Di Maria and Leandro Paredes.
In the Premier League, Liverpool, Tottenham and both Manchester clubs are the hardest hit by CONMEBOL’s decision not to allow their Europe-based players to leave early.
