Real Madrid Will Not Allow Barcelona To Play Copa Del Rey Final At The Bernabeu

Real Madrid will not allow fierce rivals Barcelona to play the Copa del Rey Final at the Bernabeu.

Madrid's stadium had been expected to be selected as the neutral venue to host the Spanish cup showdown between Barca and Deportivo Alaves.

But Los Blancos president Florentino Perez has put the brakes on the idea by revealing the stadium is due to have work done on it.

It means that Spanish football authorities will now continue their search for a suitable venue after the 81,000-seat capacity Bernabeu was ruled out by Perez.

He said: "The Copa final cannot be played at the Bernabeu because there is work going on."

Work crews are expected to move into the stadium in the days following Real's final league match of the season, which comes against Sevilla on May 13.

The venue is expected to be announced as either Athletic Bilbao's San Mames, Atletico Madrid's Vicente Calderon and Barcelona's Nou Camp.

The argument comes with Madrid well in control of the race for the league title. Zinedine Zidane's side lead Barca by one point but have two games in hand to their Catalan rivals.

Madrid will look to maintain their lead during their trip to Osasuna on Saturday, while Barcelona take on Alaves.

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