MADRID, March 15 (Xinhua) -- The Finalissima between European champion Spain and South American counterpart Argentina has been canceled after organizers failed to find a suitable venue for the match.
The game had been scheduled for March 27 in Doha, Qatar, but the conflict involving Iran, Israel and the United States has made it impossible to stage the match in the Middle East. Discussions between UEFA, CONMEBOL and the Argentine and Spanish football federations also failed to produce an alternative host.
"Following intense discussions between UEFA and the Qatari organizing authorities, it has been announced today that, due to the current political situation in the region, the Finalissima between Spain and Argentina will not be able to take place, as expected, in Qatar on March 27," UEFA said in a statement.
UEFA added that it was "a great disappointment for UEFA and the organizers that circumstances and timing have deprived the teams of the opportunity to compete for this prestigious trophy in Qatar, a country that has repeatedly demonstrated its ability to host world-class international events in state-of-the-art facilities."
Real Madrid offered its Santiago Bernabeu Stadium as an alternative venue, but Argentina was unhappy with the proposal as it would have given Spain home advantage. Plans to turn the Finalissima into a two-legged affair, with matches in Madrid and Buenos Aires, also failed to gain agreement.
The cancellation means Spain's only confirmed match in the upcoming international window is against Egypt on March 30, although the Spanish federation is expected to seek another opponent for March 27 as coach Luis de la Fuente prepares his team for this summer's FIFA World Cup finals. ■
