MADRID: The Copa del Rey match suspended after an object was thrown from the stands resumed on Sunday behind closed doors and without the Sevilla player hit in the head in what the club called “an appalling attack”.

Sevilla midfielder Joan Jordan was doing well but did not play in their 2-1 loss to Real Betis in a match that restarted in the 40th minute with the score tied at 1-1. Betis reached the quarter-finals with the victory at home.

Jordan had been taken to a hospital after being hit by a piece of PVC hurled from the stands while Betis were celebrating Nabil Fekir’s equaliser before halftime in Saturday’s round-of-16 match between the fierce Seville rivals at the Benito Villamarin Stadium in southern Spain.

Jordan underwent a series of tests and was diagnosed with a head trauma. He will remain under observation for at least 24 hours, the Spanish football federation said on Sunday.

The federation said “it wanted to avoid major logistical challenges by keeping the match at the Villamarin stadium”, but no fans were allowed to guarantee the match ends without new incidents, “considering the seriousness of what happened”.

Sevilla tried to postpone the match until a later date so it could count on Jordan, but the federation’s competitions committee denied its request.

Sergio Canales scored Betis’ winner from inside the area after a breakaway in the 73rd. The match ended without any major incidents or altercations between the rivals.

Only one other Copa del Rey match was scheduled for Sunday, with Valencia winning 1-0 at visiting Atltico Baleares to also reach the quarter-finals.

In other round-of-16 games on Saturday, Mallorca, Rayo Vallecano, and Cadiz all advanced.

Japan forward Takefusa Kubo scored from a free kick to help Mallorca beat Espanyol 2-1.

Luca Zidane, son of Zinedine Zidane, saved a penalty to ensure Rayo Vallecano won at Girona 2-1.

Cadiz also moved on after getting past second-tier side Sporting Gijon in a penalty shootout following a scoreless match.

Published in Dawn, January 17th, 2022