EL CLASICO ABROAD COULD BE ‘VERY POSITIVE’ FOR LA LIGA, SAYS EX-REAL MADRID STAR, AS BELLINGHAM TAKES PLAUDITS

Football's global governing body Fifa considering relaxing the rule preventing domestic fixtures from being played abroad
Real Madrid complete La Liga double over Barcelona after Bellingham strikes late to secure victory for champions-elect

Former Real Madrid forward Julio Baptista said taking El Clasico fixture abroad could be a "very positive" move for the Spanish top flight.

This view comes as Carlo Ancelotti's Real overcame arch-rivals Barcelona in a thrilling five-goal contest on Sunday, following a late winner from English phenomenon Jude Bellingham.

Spanish football has already flirted with overseas territories, relocating its Super Cup to Saudi Arabia, resulting in Barcelona meeting Real Madrid in Riyadh in each of the past three seasons. The sides will clash in New Jersey in August for a fourth USA- staged friendly in seven years

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The thorny issue of transferring domestic fixtures to foreign climes resurfaced this month, when it was disclosed Fifa would consider pivoting on its policy of preventing league matches from being played in other countries.

The global governing body's potential reversal, part of an agreement to dismiss Fifa from a lawsuit issued by promoter Relevant Sports to challenge the current rules, raised the prospect of Hong Kong's new 50,000-seat stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park, which is scheduled to open in 2025, staging matches from the world's biggest leagues.

Baptista made three Clasico appearances, the highlight being in December 2007, when he scored the only goal of the game at Barcelona's Camp Nou during Real Madrid's title-winning campaign.

"As far as the two clubs are concerned, if the match was abroad it would lose part of its magic," Baptista told the Post. "For the players, you live the magic in the teams' stadiums, you want to play in the Bernabeu and Camp Nou.

"But I understand it could be very positive for La Liga, in terms of marketing and promoting the competition, if El Clasico went to another country.

"It would make an impression in a new city and country, and take the match to a place where fans do not normally have the opportunity of seeing the teams live. It would be a completely new option, and could be positive for the future."

Real Madrid have conclusively turned the tables on reigning champions Barcelona this season, with their latest victory a storming come-from-behind Clasico success at the weekend.

Head coach Ancelotti's side, which have won 25 and drawn six of 32 league games, twice trailed at the Bernabeu, but Lucas Vazquez struck after 73 minutes to set the stage for Bellingham to decisively crash high into the net in the first minute of stoppage time.

The 20-year-old is the first Real player since Ruud van Nistelrooy in 2007 to score in his opening two Clasicos, having also netted both his team's goals in a 2-1 win at Barcelona's temporary Montjuic home in October.

Incredibly, he has provided stoppage-time winners in both fixtures to leave an indelible mark on his first season with Los Blancos.

Bellingham was instrumental, too, when Madrid avenged last season's Champions League semi-final drubbing by Manchester City with a quarter-final victory over the English team last week.

Baptista said Bellingham's talent, athleticism, youth and confidence give him vast room for improvement, and said the player, La Liga's second-top scorer with 17 goals, could further flourish if released from his midfield duties to rove as a second striker.

"He had an amazing start with Real, but maybe over the past month his performances dropped a little bit," said Baptista, who earned 47 caps for Brazil and also played for Seville, Arsenal and Roma.

"He has played many matches - sometimes we do not realise players are human beings, and they get tired.

"But he is a top player, and I think Real could make the most from his way of playing by using him as the second striker, behind the centre-forward.

"The more time he spends with his teammates and integrates in the culture, it will get even easier for him. He will have a tailwind behind him and can keep achieving new things."