La Liga announce new kickoff time for Barcelona’s final game of the season

Barcelona will play the final game of the La Liga season at a different kickoff time than originally scheduled, the Spanish League announced. The Blaugrana will now face Deportivo Alavés at the Mendizorrotza Stadium this Sunday at 5pm CET (4pm in the UK & Nigeria, 11am ET, 8am PT in the US, 8.30pm in India) instead of the original time of 9pm CET.

All games on Matchday 38 were scheduled for 9pm CET, but it’s common practice for La Liga to rearrange kickoff times for matches that don’t have any impact on the final standings when it comes to the title race, European places or the relegation fight. Barça vs. Alavés is one of three games starting a bit earlier, with Villarreal vs. Eibar and Valladolid vs. Real Betis scheduled for 6.30pm CET.

Barça will face Alavés without the injured Antoine Griezmann, Samuel Umtiti and Ousmane Dembélé and the suspended Gerard Piqué and Ivan Rakitic. Quique Setién is expected to make wholesale changes to the team, which could include a rest for captain Lionel Messi.