Real's problem fixture

Real's decision to play their final game of the year on December 23 at Mallorca has not gone down well with several players.

Many of the clubs stars claim it leaves them little time to return home for the Christmas break.

Real are due to meet Mallorca at Son Moix on Sunday, December 23, at 4pm and Real's foreign stars are not happy.

The first to complain was Argentine midfielder Santiago Solari, who is suggesting that the game be brought forward a day to give him and several of his team-mates a chance to plan their long journeys back home to their families.

But Mallorca chairman Mateo Alemany says that re-arranging the match would be impossible. He said: "We haven't got any choice because the fixture dates are determined by the television companies and besides, it's much too late to do anything about it now - if Real aren't happy then they should have complained when the league calendar was set last July."

Solari is angry that he will not only miss Christmas Eve but also New Year's eve due to Real's friendly with neighbours Atlético Madrid on January 2.