Spain's La Liga Denies Espanyol's Request to Postpone Match Against Rayo Vallecano

Espanyol's Appeal Rejected

La Liga has denied RCD Espanyol de Barcelona's request to postpone their upcoming match against Rayo Vallecano. The match is scheduled to take place on Sunday, August 21.

Espanyol had requested the postponement due to a number of positive COVID-19 cases within their squad. However, La Liga has ruled that the club does not meet the criteria for a postponement.

La Liga Rules

According to La Liga's rules, a club can only request a postponement if they have at least seven players unavailable due to COVID-19. Espanyol currently has six players unavailable, which is not enough to meet the threshold.

Espanyol's Options

Espanyol now has a few options. They can either play the match with a depleted squad, or they can forfeit the match and accept a 3-0 loss. They could also appeal La Liga's decision to the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF).

Rayo Vallecano's Statement

Rayo Vallecano have released a statement saying that they are "disappointed" with La Liga's decision. The club said that they believe Espanyol should be given more time to recover from their COVID-19 outbreak.

Conclusion

The situation is still fluid, and it is possible that La Liga could change its decision. However, for now, it appears that Espanyol will be forced to play the match against Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.