体坛英语新闻：Spanish Football Federation postpones Cup final and suspends all football for two weeks

MADRID, March 11 (Xinhua) -- The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) on Wednesday decided to postpone the final of the Copa del Rey knockout competition between Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad because of fears over the coronavirus.

The final between the two sides from the Basque region in the north of Spain was due to be played in the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville on April 18, but after meeting with the presidents of both clubs (Aitor Elizegui and Jokin Aperribay) the decision was taken to postpone the game after both presidents ruled out the possibility of playing behind closed doors.

No new date has been set for the final, but May 29 or May 30 have been mooted as possible dates, although May 30 is the same day as the Champions League final.

The RFEF also decided to "suspend all non-professional games of football and futsal, both male and female for the next two weeks.

The RFEF's decision came hours after UEFA suspended the Europa League games between Sevilla and Roma and Inter Milan and Getafe due to be played on Thursday, citing "travelling restrictions between Spain and Italy imposed yesterday by Spanish authorities."

Tuesday saw the Spanish government take the decision that all sporting events in the country will be played behind closed doors in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 which has infected around 2,200 people in Spain, claiming 49 lives and which has been classified as a pandemic by the World Health Organization.