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‘We want fans at Copa del Rey final’ - Spanish FA president aiming to avoid playing behind closed doors

Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales says that while no new date has been set for the Copa del Rey final, they want to play in the presence of fans.

The match between Real Sociedad and Athletic Club was initially scheduled for April 18, but has since been postponed along with all other football action in the country due to the outbreak of the coronavirus.

All of the top European leagues have made a similar decision to postpone their respective competitions due to the ongoing pandemic.

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And Spain has become the latest country to impose strict lockdown measures in a bid to prevent further outbreak of Covid-19, after Italy decided to shut down the country due to fears of the virus spreading.

Matches throughout Europe, including the Champions League last-16 meeting between Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund in Paris, had been played without the presence of supporters, before the decision was made to suspend all action.

UEFA announced on Tuesday that Euro 2020 will be postponed until 2021, while competitions such as the Champions League and Europa League are expected to be completed this summer, if conditions have improved.

The Copa del Rey is just one of a number of tournaments affected, and while efforts are being made to ensure such competitions are not declared null and void, Rubiales says that playing behind doors is not their preferred choice.

While no new date has been set for the match, Rubiales met with the presidents of the regional federations on Tuesday, before explaining in a press conference that they may be forced to postpone the final until next season.

“There is no date,” said the president. “We valued May 31 and communicated to the Royal Household. Seeing what has happened in the last 10 days we have paralyzed it. 

“The presidents of Athletic Club and Real Sociedad will be in the negotiations. 

“But it is important to say that we want the final to be with fans.”

Estadio La Cartuja in Seville remains as the host for the encounter, where the two teams are set to come head-to-head in the first all-Basque Copa del Rey since 1927.

Athletic overcame 19-time winners Real Madrid in the quarter-finals of the competition, with Sociedad beating 30-time champions Barcelona at the same stage.

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