Secretary of State for Sport Miguel Cardenal: 'El Clasico will go ahead'

Secretary of State for Sport Miguel Cardenal has said that there is no chance of El Clasico being called off this weekend.

A number of major sporting events are on high alert following Friday's terrorist attacks in Paris, which saw more than 120 people lose their lives across the city in the planned acts.

Spain were scheduled to face Belgium in a friendly on Tuesday, but that has been cancelled amid a heightened security threat.

It had been claimed that Saturday's Clasico at the Bernabeu between Real Madrid and Barcelona could also be re-scheduled, but Cardenal has said that the showpiece event will go ahead as planned.

"There's no reason to call off Madrid-Barcelona. Everyone in Spain agrees with these circumstances. There'll always be maximum security measures required," AS have quoted Cardenal as saying.

"We are in the best hands. We have the strength and security of the state, who know how to protect us. We're primarily interested in that nothing happens for a circumstance that the match could be stopped.

"I understand the alarm after a brutal attack as in Paris but we must pay attention to those who know about this. We're in permanent contact with the Ministry of the Interior and they tell us the message is peace and normalcy.

"There's no particular reason for prevention that wasn't there 15 days ago. Security measures in our country are extraordinary. There will always be the highest security measures that are required at all times.

"Special measures are taken every week. We've suffered attacks by ETA in Spain in days of celebration, days where stadiums have been evicted at maximum capacity. It was done in a normal way and worked very well."

England will welcome France to Wembley for a international friendly on Tuesday, with the match going ahead despite the travesty in the French capital.