A COPA del Rey match between rivals Sevilla and Real Betis was abandoned on Saturday after Sevilla’s Joan Jordan was struck on the head by an object thrown from the crowd.
After a stoppage of around 45 minutes at the Benito Villamarin, the Spanish federation (RFEF) confirmed the last-16 game had been abandoned, with the score at 1-1. Jordan did not appear seriously hurt.
“The Copa del Rey knock-out match between Real Betis and Sevilla is suspended. The RFEF condemns all acts of violence on the pitch,” the federation said in a statement.
It will now be up to the federation to decide whether the game gets replayed or restarted, and how many Betis fans are allowed to attend.
One option is for the match to be played behind closed doors.
Nabil Fekir had just equalised for Betis in the 39th minute, scoring straight from a corner, when a long object thrown from the stand at the Benito Villamarin hit Jordan.
Jordan fell to the ground clutching his head. The midfielder received treatment and was soon standing up again.
Referee Ricardo De Burgos spent around 10 minutes speaking to officials and coaches on the side of the pitch before signalling the game would be stopped.
Some players walked down the tunnel while others put on their tracksuits and sat on the substitutes’ benches, waiting for a resolution.
Around 45 minutes after the incident, the federation confirmed the game was off. Betis’ players returned to the pitch and applauded the home fans.
Papu Gomez had given Sevilla the lead in the 35th minute with a curling shot into the corner before Fekir’s stunning effort made it 1-1 four minutes later.
The man talks a lot of sense. People started playing GAA to play the sport not to train for 11 months and play only a handful of games. GAA needs to full address the fixture issue and to bring in a closed season.
There is a closed season Johnny, except it’s for inter-county teams.
The GAA needs to tighten up the inter-county championship season. How does it take almost 5 months to play a hurling championship in which there are realistically (and I use the term loosely) 8 potential winners? Start it in May and have it finished in August at the absolute latest (I think it could easily be played out in 3 months but let’s not get too drastic here).
League: Feb – Apr.
Champ: May – Aug.
Club: Aug – Nov when All-Ireland club champs take place.
3rd level: played through the winter as usual
Yes. Clubs should play during the championship.Must be frustrating for non county players to sit on their hands when the weather is good and conducive for good games.
No need for the long breaks between matches, finish the club championships before Christmas
Every year people talk about what a shame it is to have the provincial club championships on in November/ December in terrible playing conditions, pitches, weather etc. Barring a radical change in the county season however, there is no alternative time to play them. Thus, moving the all- ireland series to December would result in the best club teams in the country having to play in the worst possible conditions, reducing the quality of the games and the standards of the competition.
could be finished sooner. championship in cork county can be held up for weeks an weeks if a team you are due to play has an intercounty player, even if they are a panel member an not likely to even play. season is far too long, you need time for family, work, partner, kids etc.