Spanish football’s ‘El Clasico’ encounters between Barcelona and Real Madrid will happen in December and April, two of the most anticipated games of the 2016-17 Primera Division season, the fixtures of which were announced yesterday.

Defending champions Barca host Real on December 4 at the Camp Nou.

The reverse fixture will take place on April 23, at the Bernabeu stadium, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) confirmed after the draw.

As the La Liga season kicks off, Barcelona will begin their title defence at home to Real Betis on August 21.

Prior to that, the Catalan giants take on Sevilla in the two-legged final of the Spanish Super Cup.

That trophy pits the league champions against the King’s Cup winners, or in this case the runners-up, since Barca won that title, too.

The opening leg will be played on August 14 at the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium while the return match will happen three days later in Barcelona.

League runners-up Real Madrid kick off their campaign, in what will be Zinedine Zidane’s first full season in charge, away to Real Sociedad.

Deportivo Alaves will mark their return to Spain’s top flight after a 10-year absence with a clash against Atletico Madrid at the Calderon stadium.

Atletico visit Barcelona in round five, on September 21, and Barca will travel to the Calderon stadium on February 26.

The first Madrid derby will take place on November 20 at Atletico while Real will host their city rivals on April 9.

CD Leganes, runners-up to Deportivo Alaves in the Segunda Division, will play their first ever La Liga game at Celta Vigo on August 21 while Osasuna, the last team to be promoted at the end of last season, visit Malaga in the opening weekend.

The last round of La Liga games will be on May 21, 2016.

Opening programme
R. Sociedad vs R. Madrid
Atletico Madrid vs Alaves
Sporting Gijon vs A. Bilbao
Barcelona vs R. Betis
Deportivo vs Eibar
Valencia vs Las Palmas
Granada vs Villarreal
Sevilla vs Espanyol
Malaga vs Osasuna
Celta Vigo vs Leganes

Matches on Aug. 20-21