Copa semi-final jigsaw as RFEF and LaLiga weigh fixture moves | OneFootball

The Copa del Rey draw has thrown up Atlético-Barcelona and Athletic-Real Sociedad in the semi-final first legs, and a scheduling headache. Either both ties are played on 11 February, which the RFEF does not want, or a top-flight fixture shifts.

According to as.com, the federation and LaLiga are in talks to place the semi-finals in a way that also suits broadcasters. LaLiga now handles the competition’s audiovisual sales, but the calendar is tightly packed.

If the first legs do not both land on the same Wednesday, the simplest fix would be to alter an Atlético league game. LaLiga guarantees 48 hours between matches, not the 72 hours demanded by the AFE, adding another constraint.

Atlético play Betis on Sunday 8, then Rayo on Saturday 14, so Wednesday is the only day that meets the 48-hour threshold. To maintain the same premise for Athletic and Real Sociedad, their tie would also need to be on the Wednesday.

Valverde’s side play on Sunday 8, while Matarazzo’s team face Madrid on Saturday 14. That Madrid fixture is immovable because the whites play Champions on the following Tuesday against Benfica, protecting the 48-hour minimum.

Given the puzzle, the most workable option is to move Rayo-Atlético to Sunday, as Atlético do not play Champions until the following Wednesday. That would place one Copa tie on Thursday, the Madrid derby on Sunday, and the Basque derby on the Wednesday. LaLiga and the RFEF must now agree the least damaging TV solution.

Source: as.com