Madrid [Spain], June 23 (ANI): The return of La Liga is just around the corner, and even more so after the draw for the 2022/23 calendar was held in Madrid on Thursday.

La Liga will return on the weekend of August 13/14, and it will do so with a spectacular agenda. The following matches will make up the first fixture of the season:Athletic Club - RCD Mallorca, FC Barcelona - Rayo Vallecano, Real Betis - Elche CF, RC Celta - RCD Espanyol de Barcelona, Cadiz CF - Real Sociedad, CA Osasuna - Sevilla FC, UD Almeria - Real Madrid, Getafe CF - Atletico de Madrid, Real Valladolid CF - Villarreal CF, and Valencia CF - Girona FC.

The draw for the 2022/23 La Liga season has revealed the matchdays when the two El Clasico matches between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid will take place.

The first encounter will take place on Matchday 9, October 16, 2022, at the Santiago Bernabeu. The second match will take place on Matchday 26, March 19, 2023, at Camp Nou.

The entire footballing world will again focus its attention on the latest chapters of the great rivalry between the Catalans and Madrilenos - a match that features some of the best footballers on the planet.

Last season Real Madrid and FC Barcelona each won an El Clasico. In the first leg at the Camp Nou, Los Blancos won 1-2 thanks to goals from David Alaba and Lucas Vazquez, while in the second leg at the Santiago Bernabeu, Xavi Hernandez's side secured a convincing 4-0 winners thanks to two goals from Pierre Emerick Aubameyang, one from Ronald Araujo and another from Ferran Torres.

The most exciting and vibrant matches that stand out for their competitiveness and importance are those that are fought between two teams of the same city or area: derbies. Derbies are just different and always have a special meaning behind them - and football fans always want to mark them in their calendars.

These are the dates of the most important derbies in the Spanish football:Real Betis - Sevilla FC: The first Seville derby will take place at the Benito Villamarin on Matchday 13 on the weekend of November 6, 2022. On Matchday 35, the weekend of May 21, 2023, a new edition of 'El Gran Derbi' will take place at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan.

Atletico de Madrid - Real Madrid: The Wanda Metropolitano will host the first Madrid derby of the season on Matchday 6 on the weekend of September 18. On Matchday 23, on the weekend of February 26, the return leg will take place at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Real Sociedad - Athletic Club: The Blue and Whites and the Red and Whites will meet on Matchday 17 and 29. The Reale Arena will host the first Basque derby of the season on the weekend of January 14, 2023. The second leg will take place at San Mames on the weekend of April 16.

FC Barcelona - RCD Espanyol: Finally, the Barcelona derbies will take place on Matchdays 15 and 34. The first, held at the Camp Nou, will take place on the weekend of December 31, 2022. The return leg at the RCDE Stadium will take place on the weekend of May 14. (ANI)