Spain’s La Liga has scheduled one of the biggest matches in the European football calendar – the first El Clasico of the season between Real Madrid and Barcelona – at 1 pm local time especially to suit Indian television viewers.

This means that the match scheduled for Saturday, December 23, at the Santiago Bernabeu will start at 5.30 pm IST. The live coverage of the game will begin at 4.30 pm on Sony Ten 1 and Sony Ten 2 channels in India. This is a first, as previous El Clasico matches have always kicked off late in the evening in India.

“Sony Pictures Sports Network, the official broadcaster of La Liga [in India], will also ensure an unparalleled viewing experience with the live telecast of its flagship studio show, Football Extraaa, directly from the venue for the live screening at the stadium amidst fans,” the company said in a press release.

La Liga has also planned a special screening of the match at the NSIC Grounds in New Delhi. “We want the many La Liga fans in India to enjoy the match as if they were in the stadium,” said the Spanish league’s president, Javier Tebas.