( CNN ) -- The Spanish football season is set to get under way this weekend , after strike action by players which forced the opening round of fixtures to be postponed was ended on Thursday . Players from Spain 's top two divisions went on strike earlier this month , in a bid to force the league to increase the fund which protects players ' wages should clubs experience financial difficulties . The strike ended after the Spain 's Professional Football League ( LFP ) guaranteed the Association of Spanish Footballers ( AFE ) payments owed to 200 players would be made . `` The Strike Committee of AFE and the LFP have reached an agreement which guarantees through various means the salaries of footballers , '' read a statement on the AFE 's official web site . How match fixing ruined the beautiful game . `` After the meeting held today on August 25th , 2011 between the AFE and the LFP , the strike planned for Friday 26th , Saturday 27th , Sunday 28th and Monday 29th has been called off . '' Another result of the talks is that players will now be able to leave their club if they are owed three months wages or more . The resolution means the season will now begin with the second round of fixtures , with the first match of the campaign set to be Real Sociedad 's trip to Sporting Gijon . `` We want to thank all the Spanish and non-Spanish footballers that play in our league championship , '' continued the statement . `` We want to let you know how proud we are of all of them , for their show of unity and solidarity without precedent that they gave for many companions who were going through truly tough times . '' Reigning Spanish and European champions Barcelona will not start their domestic season until Monday , due to their participation in Friday 's European Super Cup match against Porto . Their opponents will be last term 's third-place team Villarreal , who defeated Danish outfit Odense on Tuesday to reach the groups stages of the European Champions League . Last season 's Copa del Rey winners Real Madrid kick-off their season away to Real Zaragoza on Sunday . As the strike in Spain came to an end , Italian players moved a step closer to similar action after the country 's clubs voted in favor of changes to the collective contract signed by all footballers . Teams in Italy 's Serie A , the top division , and Serie B , the second tier , want to hand coaches the power to force unwanted players to train away from the first team . They also want to introduce changes to the tax paid by the competition 's highest earners . `` We dictated the precise conditions yesterday to renew the collective agreement . Our demands are reasonable and balanced , '' Serie A chief Maurizio Beretta told the league 's official web site . The row has cast doubt over whether this weekend 's opening fixtures can take place , with champions AC Milan set to take on Cagliari on Saturday .
The Spanish players strike has been called off ahead of this weekend 's matches . The strike has ended after the club refused to pay money owed to players . Italian players are expected to strike over planned changes to the players collective agreement .