Barcelona & Osasuna Denied Appeal to Reschedule La Liga Clash

The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has turned down Barcelona and Osasuna’s petition to have their La Liga game moved forward.

Though both teams worry it would not give their players enough rest after the international break, the game will take place on Thursday, March 27 as scheduled.

The clubs offered a range of alternative dates in April and May for the game to be scheduled, but league rules state that should a game be suspended, it should be rescheduled for the first available date the two sides can use based on the reasons the RFEF’s appeal committee rejected. The RFEF committee says this is to preserve the integrity of the league by not “altering the dynamic” of the teams and the La Liga season.

Since both teams have adequate players to cover the fixture, player involvement at international level was not deemed sufficient justification for changing the game date.

The La Liga game between Osasuna and Athletic Club will be rescheduled from Friday, March 28 to Sunday, March 30 in order to fit the Barcelona game, the document says.

Originally scheduled on March 8, the game between Barcelona and Osasuna was postponed after the first-team doctor of Barcelona passed away, Carles Minarro Garcia.

It was rescheduled for March 17; The Athletic stated Barcelona was prepared to appeal to the RFEF as the new date would probably be without striker Raphinha and defense Ronald Araujo.

Barcelona sources, speaking under anonymity, had voiced their displeasure with the choice as Raphinha and Araujo would not be available due to the proximity of the postponed game to international events: In World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday, March 25, Raphinha’s Brazil and Araujo’s Uruguay face Argentina and Bolivia respectively.

Enzo Boyomo of Osasuna is also on the Cameroon team, which faces Libya on March 25 in a World Cup qualifier.