Barcelona guarantee El Clásico against Real Madrid will go ahead despite workers' strike
FC Barcelona have confirmed that Sunday's LaLiga clash against Real Madrid, scheduled for 21:00, will be played as normal despite a strike called by around 60 fixed-discontinuous workers. The stoppage begins at midnight on October 23 and runs until 06:00 on October 26. The club says it has enough organizational capacity to manage the entire weekend's events.

FC Barcelona have confirmed that El Clásico against Real Madrid, set for Sunday at 21:00 in LaLiga EA Sports, will go ahead without disruption. The club is sticking to that stance even though the collective of fixed-discontinuous workers has called a three-day strike covering the entire weekend.
- The labor stoppage is set to run from 00:00 on October 23 until 06:00 on October 26.
- No agreement was reached during conciliation at the Labor Court of Catalonia.
- The group taking action is made up of around 60 employees.
- The club says all professional and academy matches will be played as scheduled.
- Besides men's football, women's football, handball and basketball fixtures are also affected.
Why FC Barcelona's fixed-discontinuous workers are striking
The fixed-discontinuous workforce is demanding improvements to working conditions. The collective, formed by roughly 60 staff members, argues that the club does not have enough personnel to handle all the logistics involved in staging sporting events at its facilities.
The walkout remains in place after both sides failed to reach an agreement during conciliation proceedings at the Labor Court of Catalonia. With no deal on the table, the stoppage is active across the whole sporting weekend.
Barcelona guarantee El Clásico and all weekend fixtures will go ahead
Club sources maintain that the strike will not force the postponement of any professional match scheduled at Spotify Camp Nou, Estadi Johan Cruyff or Palau Blaugrana. Youth-team fixtures at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper will also be unaffected.
Barcelona say they have enough organizational capacity to resolve any incident and ensure these matches go ahead without using worker replacement practices that would be against the law.
The board insists that its weekend operations will not breach labor regulations. As a result, the fixed-discontinuous workers' strike will not lead to cancellations or fixture changes in official competition.
Which Barcelona matches fall within the October 23-26 strike window
El Clásico against Real Madrid is the headline event, but it is not the only sporting activity caught up in the labor action. The women's first team hosts Granada in Liga F on Saturday at 20:30 at Estadi Johan Cruyff.
- Handball: Barcelona vs Rebi Cuenca, Friday at 19:00 at Palau Blaugrana, Asobal League.
- Women's football: Barcelona vs Granada, Saturday at 20:30 at Johan Cruyff, Liga F.
- Basketball: Barcelona vs Casademont Zaragoza, Saturday at 21:00 at Palau Blaugrana, Liga Endesa.
- Men's football: Barcelona vs Real Madrid, Sunday at 21:00 at Spotify Camp Nou, LaLiga EA Sports.
All of these games fall within the scheduled strike period. The club maintains that each event will take place normally at its respective venue.
Camp Nou logistics under review in the middle of the season
The labor dispute puts fresh attention on how Barcelona organize their major events. The fixed-discontinuous workers' demands highlight what they see as an insufficiently staffed operation for the number of matches and activities the club stages.
The workforce wants stronger teams in charge of set-up, spectator services and other essential duties on high-demand matchdays. For its part, the club says its operational plan for this weekend is fully secured.
How the strike could affect fans attending El Clásico
Barcelona's message is aimed above all at supporters heading to Camp Nou on Sunday. The official forecast is that stadium access, security and services will operate as usual for Real Madrid's visit.
No additional restrictions or changes to gate operations have been announced. The board is confident its organizational ability will be enough to absorb any setback caused by the stoppage.
Frequently asked questions
Will El Clásico between Barcelona and Real Madrid be suspended because of the strike?
No. FC Barcelona have guaranteed that Sunday's match at 21:00 will be played normally at Spotify Camp Nou. The club says it can cover the game's needs without resorting to illegal replacement of workers.
When does the Barcelona fixed-discontinuous workers' strike take place?
The strike is scheduled from 00:00 on October 23 until 06:00 on October 26, coinciding with several professional and academy matches across the club.
Which other Barcelona matches are affected by the strike?
It affects the handball game against Rebi Cuenca on Friday, the women's football fixture against Granada and the basketball clash with Casademont Zaragoza on Saturday. All remain scheduled as normal, according to the club.