The scheduling chaos for postponed matches continues. On Thursday, the Competition Judge ruled that the postponed match between Valencia and Real Madrid, delayed due to the DANA storm disaster, will be played on January 2.

However, this date is problematic because, according to the agreement, players are on vacation, and the players' union must approve it first, which they have not yet done.

According to the agreement signed just over a year ago between the AFE players’ union and LaLiga, there will be no professional soccer in Spain from December 23 to January 2.

Players' union consulting with players

The Competition Committee, after hearing arguments from LaLiga and the involved clubs, decided to schedule the match on this date. However, without AFE’s approval, the date is not officially confirmed.

The union has always been understanding of the complexities of the schedule and will likely agree to this new date. But their approval is still pending as they are consulting with Real Madrid and Valencia players to ensure they agree to shorten their Christmas vacations.

The situation is complicated, especially given Real Madrid’s upcoming schedule. There are no available dates until well into the new year. It’s nearly impossible to reschedule even a day later (January 3, a weekday) because on the weekend of January 4-5, they have to play the Copa del Rey round of 32, and on Monday, January 6, they travel to Saudi Arabia for the Spanish Super Cup. Following that, they face a grueling calendar with double match weeks between LaLiga, Copa del Rey, and Champions League games.