Valencia’s first-round Copa del Rey match against Parla Escuela has been postponed yet again due to the catastrophic flooding affecting the region.
The club had initially sought a delay for the match, originally scheduled for October 30, which had already been postponed to November 6 by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).
The extreme weather conditions resulted in at least 217 fatalities, with many individuals still reported missing following a powerful storm that swept through eastern Spain last week.
The new date for Valencia’s cup match has been set for November 26.
Other matches involving teams from the impacted area have also been rescheduled, with the exception of Real Sociedad’s fixture against Jove Español.
In a statement, Valencia expressed, “The club requested the postponement of the match this morning, understanding that, at this time of great difficulty, all energy, attention, and support must be focused on helping those affected by the tragic events (caused by the storm)… football is in the background.”
The statement further conveyed appreciation to the RFEF and Parla Escuela for their understanding in agreeing to the postponement, while also offering heartfelt condolences to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in this disaster.
In light of the devastating situation, several La Liga coaches and players have voiced their concerns, suggesting that all league fixtures should have been postponed rather than just Valencia’s match against defending champions Real Madrid and Villarreal’s clash with Rayo Vallecano.
Atletico Madrid’s coach Diego Simeone remarked that it made “no sense” to continue playing matches, while Barcelona’s Hansi Flick stated that he would have preferred to cancel the entire weekend’s fixtures.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti added on Monday that it felt “hard” to discuss football under the current circumstances, as his team prepared for their Champions League match against AC Milan on Tuesday.
AFP
