Valencia, Levante games postponed after deadly fire
LaLiga has postponed Valencia’s and Levante’s games this weekend at the clubs’ request after a deadly fire in the Spanish city on Thursday.
At least four people died and up to 15 are missing after a massive blaze that ripped through two joined apartment blocks, according to Valencia’s emergency services.
Valencia were scheduled to play away at Granada in LaLiga on Saturday at 2 p.m. local time, and second-division side Levante had been due to host FC Andorra in Valencia seven hours later.
“LaLiga announces the postponement of the matches between Granada CF and Valencia CF scheduled for tomorrow,” the league said in a statement.
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“This is in response to the request for postponement made by Valencia CF and Levante UD, which had the agreement of the affected teams Granada CF and FC Andorra, due to the fire that occurred on Friday in Valencia.”
Earlier on Friday, Valencia CF had released a statement expressing condolences and calling for their match to be delayed.
“The Club deeply regrets what happened, wants to send a lot of strength to all the victims and publicly thank the commendable work of the emergency services,” it read.
“This Friday the players and coaches of the men’s first team, the women’s first team and the VCF Academy teams will observe a respectful minute of silence at the beginning of their training sessions in memory of the victims.
“Likewise, the Club has processed the request to postpone this Saturday’s match against Granada CF at the Nuevo Los Cármenes Stadium.”
Valencia added that they would fly flags at the club’s facilities at half-mast in line with the three days of mourning declared by the city.
Levante had said in a statement that they requested for their game to be postponed and added: “We join in the pain of the families and friends of the victims and we express our gratitude to the emergency services for their commendable work in this terrible event.”
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LaLiga said a minute’s silence would be held for the victims at all games in Spain’s top two divisions in memory of the victims of the fire. Other clubs in Spain sent their condolences to the city after the fire.
“FC Barcelona offers its condolences to the families of the victims of the fire in Valencia and lends its support to those affected,” Barcelona wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
In a statement on their website, Real Madrid said: “Real Madrid C. F., its president and its board of directors would like to express their deepest sympathy for the victims of the fire that has affected the city of Valencia in the last few hours and express their solidarity with all those affected and with all the people of Valencia.”