Betis players and fans worried about midday heat

Sep 9, 2011, 8:36 GMT

Madrid - Players and fans of Spanish club Betis are worried about the heat they will have to face when they play Mallorca at home in Seville on Sunday.

The game has been controversially scheduled for midday as part of the campaign of the Liga de Futbol Profesional clubs' association to make La Liga more visible internationally, particularly in Asia.

However, a late summer heatwave is currently sweeping across Spain, and the temperature might climb as high as 40 degrees in Seville on Sunday.

Betis coach Pepe Mel said Friday: 'It is going to be a difficult game because of the heat. I hope that nothing bad happens to any of the players.'

Mel pointed out that training on Friday would start at 11.30 am to try to acclimatize the players for the match.

'The conditions on Sunday will not be perfect, but we just have to get on and play the match,' he said.

On Thursday Betis captain Iriney said: 'To play at noon in Sevilla at the beginning of September is criminal. Let's hope that nothing serious happens.'

Tomas Calero, Betis's head doctor, said Thursday he was even more worried about the fans than the players.

'They should have chosen a city in the north for the midday game not Seville. This could be dangerous for the spectators,' he said.

Calero advised the fans to bring 'many bottles of water' to the Estadio Benito Villamarin on Sunday - and to wear hats.

Several groups of Betis fans have called for a boycott of the game because of the match time. There was a poor attendance for the first match played at noon on Sunday two weeks ago, between Atletico Madrid and Osasuna.

Betis - back in the first division after two years' absence - made a good start to their league campaign two weeks ago, with a 1-0 win away to Granada, another newly-promoted team.