Madrid, May 4 (IANS) Spanish Copa del Rey finalists Athletic Club Bilbao and Real Sociedad have both asked the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to delay the celebration of the final until it can be safely played in the presence of their supporters.

The Cup final was due to be played on April 18 in Seville between the two historic Basque sides who have never met in a final, but had to be postponed due to the spread of the coronavirus, reports Xinhua news agency.

Since then it has been unclear whether the game would be played behind closed doors or delayed until 2021, even though the Cup winner would take a place in next season's Europa League, and UEFA have said that unless it is played, that place would be given to the team that finishes seventh in Spain's LaLiga.

Now both clubs have made their position clear with a statement on their official websites which states they have "agreed to ask the RFEF for the Cup final to be played officially with supporters at a date to be agreed by the three parties."

The football matches in the country have been stopped since March 12 in wake of the pandemic that has hit the entire world.

--IANS dm/bbh