A GUNS 'N' Roses concert in Bilbao means the Copa del Rey final between Alavés and Barça has been ousted from its stadium, meaning a new venue has to be found before the match on May 27.
Promoters for the huge rock gig, Last Tour Internacional, say at least eight days are needed to set up and then take down the stage with all its trimmings.
With Guns 'N' Roses due to perform at the San Mamés stadium on May 30, it would be 'impossible' for a football match to take place there three days before, says Last Tour's manager Alfonso Santiago.
“We have the stadium booked for a concert which is part of a world tour, which has already been advertised for many months and for which most of the tickets have been sold,” Santiago argues.
“We booked the stadium for eight days back in December to ensure it could not be taken up for any other reason.
“It is even possible we'll need it for more than eight days, because it's the first time we have set up a concert in this stadium and we have to treat it with great care – there are lots of new aspects and fragile parts and a great deal to do.”
An expected 45,000 fans will turn out to watch the US veteran rockers in Bilbao on May 30.
Alavés FC, which has just qualified for a Copa del Rey final for the first time in its history after beating Celta, had been hoping to use its home ground for the David-and-Goliath final against the huge premier-league FC Barcelona.
