Sevilla apply to switch Spurs date

Seville town council have called for Sevilla’s UEFA Cup quarter-final first leg with Tottenham to be moved to a different date because it coincides with a major religious festival in the city.

The match is due to be played in Seville on April 5, which is the Thursday before Easter when Jueves Santo (Maundy Thursday) is celebrated.

Councillor Alfonso Rodriguez Gomez de Celis, who is hoping UEFA will change the day of the fixture, told a press conference on Monday: “Any day during Holy Week is difficult, but the biggest complication is, without doubt, on that day.

“Not only is it the amount of people, in terms of security, but also out of respect for what it means to the majority of people.”

Holy Week in Seville is famous for its floats and processions, with huge crowds expected to attend.