Both clubs want the showpiece event in Spain to be postponed until such a time as supporters can attend safely amid the coronavirus crisis
Athletic Club and Real Sociedad have both asked the Spanish FA to play the Copa del Rey final with fans in the stadium, despite the uncertainty surrounding how and when football will resume due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The first all-Basque Copa del Rey final since 1927 was set up when Athletic overcame Granada and Sociedad beat Mirandes in the semi-finals back in March.
Athletic conquered last season’s finalists Barcelona in the previous round, while Sociedad knocked out 19-time winners Real Madrid, with the famous trophy now set to head back to either San Mames or the Anoeta.
However, it has been suggested that the final will have to be played behind closed doors when the coronavirus-enforced lockdown in Spain is lifted, with UEFA requesting that the tournament finishes by August 2 at the very latest.
The presidents of both Athletic and Sociedad have now formally requested that the event is put on hold until it is safe to allow supporters to attend, which could see the former miss out on a place in the Europa League.
A joint statement released on Monday reads: “The desire and the will of both clubs has always been, now and before, to play the final with the presence of our fans.
“It is what we would most like. A cup final with our fans in the stands.”
If the final – which was originally scheduled to take place in Seville on April 19 – is not played before August, the seventh-placed side in La Liga will be handed a spot in the Europa League instead of the winners.
Sociedad are fourth in La Liga at the moment, but Athletic are 10th and eight points adrift of Atletico Madrid, who currently occupy the final European place in sixth.
The 2019-20 campaign in Spain has been on hold since March 23, but plans for a return to training on May 11 have already been outlined.
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez has stated that he expects football to resume soon, with mid-June touted as the earliest possible time for a resumption of action.
“We hope that leagues and federations will come to a decision soon,” Sanchez said at a press conference over the weekend.
“We hope [a return] will come sooner rather than later but we’ll see it first on television rather than in the stadiums, I’m afraid.”
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