MADRID, July 24 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Football League (LaLiga) on Tuesday published the calendar for the 2018-2019 season.

The season, which sees FC Barcelona defend the title they won last season, kicks off on the weekend of Aug. 18 and 19 and concludes on May 28.

The first weekend of matches sees Barca kick off the defense of their title at home to Deportivo Alaves, while their bitter rivals, Real Madrid start at home with a local derby against Getafe.

Other interesting games in the first weekend of matches sees Valencia entertain Atletico Madrid in a match between two teams which will also play in the Champions League, while newly promoted trio Rayo Vallecano, Huesca and Valladolid, kick off against Sevilla, Eibar and Girona.

Meanwhile the first 'Classico' between Barcelona and Real Madrid will be played n Barca's Camp Nou Stadium on the weekend of Oct. 28.

One novelty about this season's fixtures is that LaLiga have moved away from their tradition of a 'symmetrical' competition in which the second half of the season is a mirror image of the first, as this season there are variations between the first and second half of the campaign. Enditem