体坛英语新闻：Still no venue for Spanish Cup final

MADRID, Feb. 13 (Xinhua) -- There is still no venue for the Copa del Rey final between FC Barcelona and Athletic Club Bilbao.

The Spanish Cup final is due to be played on May 20th (or May 25th if Barcelona reach the Champions League final), but as of yet the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has been unable to name a venue.

Athletic Club Bilbao President, Jose Urrutia and Barcelona General Director, Tony Freixa were at the RFEF headquarters on Monday to decide a venue. Both clubs have asked for the final to be played in Real Madrid's Santiago Bernabeu Stadium, which has a capacity of 82,000 fans and is approximately the same distance from Bilbao and Barcelona.

However, Real Madrid appear unwilling to cede the ground, fearful of seeing bitter rivals Barcelona celebrate another title and celebrating it on their own ground.

Madrid allege they will be starting rebuilding work on the stadium as soon as the league season ends on May 13th, although the club also adds that they need the Bernabeu should they win the Champions League final, which will be held on May 19th.

Quite how they could hold a celebration in a ground undergoing rebuilding work is a question that has yet to be answered by the club.

Meanwhile in Bilbao and Barcelona, they are standing firm in their desire to play the final in the Spanish capital.

"The Bernabeu is the first option and it is the ideal ground to play in," explained Urrutia. "Both Athletic and Barcelona have asked for the Bernabeu to be the venue. We are now waiting for a final decision, because this meeting with the Federation was for them to listen to the clubs. We have given our opinion and we represent an important amount of fans," he concluded.

Freixa explained Barcelona's viewpoint. "We want a ground that fulfils the criteria of maximum capacity and which is equidistant between the two cities. We believe the ground that responds to that criteria is the Bernabeu and both ourselves and Athletic have told the Federation that," he said.

The RFEF will now formally as Real Madrid, a club which always highlights its role as a "club senor", or (a club of gentlemen) to host the final. If Madrid refuse, the likely venue will be Valencia's Mestalla stadium meaning tens of thousands of fans will not be able to attend the game.