With reports that Girona are set to face Barcelona in Miami this coming January, the FC crew share their varying opinions on La Liga coming to the U.S. Lionel Messi talks about one day leaving Barcelona, their aims for this season and rates the new signings. Lionel Messi is not a finalist for FIFA's world player of the year award for the first time since 2006. The FC crew explain why he should be. Barcelona's Ernesto Valverde laughed off talk that Atletico Madrid and Valencia already dropping points is crucial in the title race. Lionel Messi scored twice in a game where Barcelona found the net eight times to remain perfect.
La Liga president Javier Tebas has confirmed that the first Clasico of the season will see Barcelona host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, Oct. 28.
The game between the two title rivals, the first since Cristiano Ronaldo left for Juventus in the summer, will kick off at 16.15 CET.
Madrid play Viktoria Plzen at the Santiago Bernabeu on the Tuesday before the game, and Barca host Inter Milan on Wednesday.
Barcelona last hosted Madrid in May, a week after they clinched the La Liga title with a 4-2 win away at Deportivo La Coruna.
With nothing on the line as a result, the match, which ended 1-1, was labelled a "decaffeinated" Clasico but October's meeting between the two sides promises to have much more riding on it.
Both Barca and Madrid, under coach Julen Lopetegui, have begun the new campaign with three wins from three and sit level at the top of the table.
Meanwhile, La Liga have cleared the pitch at Real Sociedad to host Barcelona after the international break.
The grass has been relaid at Anoeta during the last week and there were fears that it could cut up in the same way that the surface did at Real Valladolid when played Barca there last month.
However, with more time to bed in before the game on Sept. 15, league authorities, who did not inspect Valladolid's pitch before the Barca game, have given the green light for the match to go ahead.
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Source: espn.co.uk