December is no longer an ordinary month in Real Madrid's calendar. La Liga have announced the new date for the Real Sociedad versus Real Madrid clash postponed from matchweek 23, leaving the royal club facing a heavyweight week that begins in San Sebastián and does not end at San Mamés.
Originally pencilled in for next February, the match will now be played on Wednesday 2 December at 7:00 pm at Real Sociedad's stadium, according to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
Why was the match brought forward?
The Spanish Super Cup is behind the decision to bring this fixture forward, along with Barcelona versus Atlético Madrid.
All four sides will play in the Super Cup during the first week of February, from 2 to 6 February in Istanbul. That is why their matchweek 23 fixtures have been moved up, so as not to clash with the tournament.
Two tough tests in 4 days
After that early trip to San Sebastián on 2 December, Real Madrid will face Athletic Bilbao on the weekend of the fifth and sixth.
Two brutal tests at two of the hardest stadiums in Spain, just a few days apart.
Real Sociedad do not know surrender on their own ground, and at San Mamés the royal club will collide with the well-known hell of Bilbao. A real test of the squad's depth and its ability to handle the pressure of back-to-back matches.