Barça to request Bernabéu as Copa final venue

The usual annual polemic surrounding the venue for the Copa del Rey is just starting. After Wednesday’s 7-0 win over Valencia at Camp Nou, the Catalan club are starting to make contingency plans for the Copa del Rey final that they want to be played on May 21/22 and want the Santiago Bernabéu to be used as the venue to host the final.

Barcelona are aware of Madrid’s posture after their negative response to the same request last season and they have also communicated their wish to the Spanish Federation (RFEF) that Camp Nou is not the final venue for a second consecutive year.

Once both finalists have been decided (second leg games will take place next week) the Federation will meet with representatives from clubs to look at logistical issues in deciding on a suitable venue for the final.

Sources at the Catalan club confirm that, “as always we want the stadium with the largest capacity so as many of our supporters can travel”. This is a veiled manner of stating that they will request the Bernabéu but maintain that, “as we’re not mathematically qualified for the final it’s jumping the gun somewhat to speculate on venues for the final”. The Spanish Federation are anxious to minimize any fuss that is normally generated around the matter of the venue as they are about to embark on a presidential election campaign and don’t want fall-out from the final to distract from the canvassing.

As it’s almost a given that Real Madrid will decline any advance from Barcelona to elect the ground as a venue, the Federation will look at the Vicente Calderón and Mestalla as two potential alternatives.

Barcelona are anxious not to overstep the mark in talking about a Copa del Rey final as a gesture of respect to Valencia but are aware that the other finalist will have an impact on any potential final venue with geographical logistics playing a major role in any future decision process.

Sevilla are a team used to playing in final matches over the past few years and the Andalusian capital is especially well connected with Madrid.

Should it be the Galician side who overcome the 4-0 first leg deficit, then Barcelona are aware that Valencia is a geographically complicated destination for the Celta fans.

As was the case last season, it all points to Madrid rejecting a FC Barcelona approach to use the Santaiago Bernabeu as a final venue and the likely and logical solution being that the stadium to host the 2015/16 Copa del Rey final will be Atletico Madrid’s Vicente Caderón.

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