MADRID, June 24 — Real Madrid will begin the defence of their Spanish league title away to Almeria on Aug. 14 and Barcelona host Rayo Vallecano the same weekend, La Liga said on Thursday.

With the World Cup in Qatar scheduled to be played for the first time in the middle of the European domestic season, the La Liga campaign will not end until next June.

The World Cup is due to start on Nov. 21 and La Liga will resume on Dec. 31, two weeks after the final.

The Clasico meetings between Real Madrid and Barcelona will be over the weekend of Oct. 16 at Santiago Bernabeu and the weekend of March 19 at Camp Nou.

The Spanish Supercup in Saudi Arabia will take place between Jan. 11- 15 and the Copa del Rey final is on May 6. — Reuters