Barcelona and Madrid face testing week amid Clasico uncertainty

Political turmoil may have thrown next weekend's Clasico into doubt but Barcelona and Real Madrid cannot afford to let focus waver ahead of what could prove a pivotal period in their seasons.

Ahead of their trip to Eibar in La Liga on Saturday, Barca held their press conference a day early to allow them to begin a 589-kilometre journey to Ipurua by bus on Friday and avoid the chaos at El Prat airport.

But the game will go ahead, which cannot be said for sure of the Clasico against Real Madrid, scheduled to take place on October 26 at Camp Nou.

The fixture will be the club's first at home since nine Catalan independence leaders were jailed on Monday, a decision that has sparked an array of violent protests in the city.

La Liga have proposed relocating the match to the Santiago Bernabeu or it could be postponed, with December 18 a possible date, given it falls in a week when other sides will be involved in the Copa del Rey.

Yet Barcelona and Madrid want the fixture unchanged next Saturday, at the end of a week when both clubs, as well as Atletico Madrid, are involved in the third round of the Champions League group stage.

"There would be a few away games in a row and not only for that reason but to respect the fixture list," said Barca coach Ernesto Valverde on Thursday.

"We trust our people and we want to play in our stadium."