THE FUSE

The Spanish league association (La Liga) announced today, Sunday, the fixture schedule for the fifteenth round of the first division.

Barcelona, who lead the league by three points over Real Madrid and five points over Atletico Madrid, will host Celta Vigo.

Kick-off is set for Saturday 5 December (9:00 pm Central European Time) at the Camp Nou.

The match between the Catalans and the Galicians could only be held on that day, according to "Mundo Deportivo", as there was not enough time between Barcelona's game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday 2 December and the Champions League trip to Manchester City on Tuesday 8 December.

In the same round, Athletic Bilbao face Real Madrid on Sunday 6 December at the San Mames. Los Blancos arrive off the back of a fixture at the Anoeta (Real Sociedad) on Wednesday 2 December, before travelling to Arsenal on Wednesday 9 December in the Champions League.

Atletico Madrid, meanwhile, host Real Betis on Sunday 6 December in an eagerly awaited clash at the Wanda Metropolitano. Diego Simeone's side then travel to face Stuttgart on Wednesday 9 December

in the Champions League, while Manuel Pellegrini's men (Real Betis) take on Como, who have Cesc Fabregas in their ranks, at La Cartuja on the same day.

The international break: Barcelona's nightmare

This international break has been anything but comfortable for Barcelona. Hansi Flick had hoped to rest some key players before a hectic end to the year. Instead, the German coach now faces two fresh problems.

The first concerns Frenkie de Jong, according to "Foot Mercato". Back from a long absence after injuring his knee at the World Cup, the Dutch midfielder was forced to leave the national team camp.

Netherlands coach Xavi Hernandez mentioned only back pain after the win over Greece, yet the Dutch federation ultimately announced their player would not travel to Berlin to face Germany on Monday. The real issue, according to "AS", is thigh pain.

Uncertainty now hangs over the Camp Nou. "Sport" report that De Jong will undergo a medical examination next Monday with the Catalan club's medical staff, who will decide whether further tests are needed.

De Jong to miss the Villarreal match

One thing is certain so far: the Dutchman will rest this week, and he looks almost certain to sit out the clash with Villarreal at the Camp Nou.

His injury sits in a very sensitive area, and that is pushing Barcelona towards extreme caution. The former Ajax man has only just returned from injury, and Flick plainly has no wish to gamble with his midfielder.

Barcelona do not understand Brazil's decision

Raphinha's situation, meanwhile, is stirring up tension in Catalonia. He was sent off during Brazil's 3-2 defeat to Japan, alongside Carlo Ancelotti, after protesting furiously at Japan's last goal. That leaves the Barcelona forward serving an automatic suspension for Brazil's second friendly against Singapore on Tuesday.

Barcelona would logically want their player back early to prepare as well as possible for the restart. The Brazilian Football Federation decided otherwise.

Rodrigo Caetano, general executive coordinator of the Brazilian men's national teams, explained: "Raphinha will stay. In principle, he will stay with us... His departure makes no sense, he is one of our leaders".

An Egyptian journalist since 2006. I initially specialized in covering local football, but over the years my interest expanded to global football, particularly the top five European leagues, with a special focus on La Liga and the Premier League.

Throughout these years, I combined field reporting with analytical work, and I became deeply involved in international football starting in 2017, when I joined Kooora.

At Kooora, I worked as a news editor, match analyst, translator, voice-over commentator, and video report producer, in addition to writing reports and articles, developing coverage plans for major events and key matches, and participating in their execution.

My passion for football began in 1990, during Egypt’s celebrations of qualifying for the Italy World Cup after a 56-year absence. I vividly remember the Egypt vs Netherlands match and Magdy Abdelghani’s historic equalizer.

On the global level, I became attached to Real Madrid at the start of the new millennium, following the great stars who wore its shirt, especially Zinedine Zidane, and later my favorite player Cristiano Ronaldo.

There are many unforgettable moments, but I would highlight Cristiano Ronaldo’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2009 as the most important, as my favorite player joined the club I support in Europe.

Currently, I specialize in desk editing, translating international news and reports, proposing coverage ideas, and writing SEO-optimized content.

My all-time favorite lineup includes Gianluigi Buffon in goal; Cafu, Franz Beckenbauer, Paolo Maldini, and Roberto Carlos in defense; Zinedine Zidane, Andrés Iniesta, Diego Maradona, and Pelé in midfield; and in attack Ronaldo Nazário, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Among the reports and analyses I published on Kooora:

– After Deco and Scaloni’s statements… Is Messi’s era over?

– A golden hour gives Real Madrid hope to overcome Barcelona

– Kooora Report: Unsung heroes who shaped the greatness of the Champions League

– Kooora Story: Real Madrid defeats “itself” and wins a historic title

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