Naomi Osaka and Victoria Azarenka withdrew from their respective tournaments on Saturday due to injuries.

Osaka, a three-time grand slam champion, opted out of her Gippsland Trophy semi-final against Elise Mertens.

Azarenka, meanwhile, was due to face Anett Kontaveit in the Grampians Trophy quarter-finals.

Osaka said her move was a cautious one ahead of the Australian Open, which begins on Monday.

"Sorry to Tennis Australia and the fans to have to withdraw today," she said, via the WTA.

"I have a niggling injury and in light of the Australian Open on the horizon, I need to be cautious. I look forward to competing next week."

It continues what has been a difficult build-up to the first grand slam of the year.

On Friday, Serena Williams withdrew from her semi-final at the Yarra Valley Classic due to a right shoulder injury.

It comes amid a busy schedule for players after Thursday's action was called off due to a coronavirus scare.

Inter assistant coach Cristian Stellini has challenged Nicolo Barella to take the next step in his career by adding more goals to his game after scoring in Friday's 2-0 win at Fiorentina.

The Italy international curled in a delightful opener after 31 minutes at Stadio Artemio Franchi and Ivan Perisic added a second as Inter moved top of Serie A.

Barella, who was earlier denied by a fine Bartlomiej Dragowski save, now has three goals and five assists in 21 league outings this term.

That makes 2020-21 the midfielder's best Serie A season in terms of goal involvements, though he did net six times for Cagliari in the 2017-18 season.

Stellini, who was filling in for suspended head coach Antonio Conte against Fiorentina, hopes to see Barella build on those figures in the remainder of the season.

"He is still growing, like Lautaro [Martinez] and many other young players in the squad," he told Sky Sport Italia. "The next step is a few more goals."

Barella's two other goals this season came from inside the penalty area, the 23-year-old having converted just one of his four Opta-defined big chances.

"I was missing them before, but now the goals are starting to come," Barella said. "Today I could have done better, but I am putting myself in good positions."

Perisic also impressed in the routine victory in Florence before leaving the pitch with a knock 10 minutes from time.

The 32-year-old, linked with an exit in January, was on target for just the second time in 19 league outings this term and Stellini was impressed with the winger's display.

"He adapts well and sacrifices a lot," Stellini said. "Before he was a protagonist in the opposition's half, while today he also helped at the other end.

"He is a precious player for us because he is very physical and can cover the whole wing very well. We are convinced and satisfied with what he is doing."

Victory for Inter was their first away at Fiorentina in the league in seven attempts since 2014 and marked the first time they have won successive Serie A matches in 2021.

The Nerazzurri, beaten 2-1 by Juventus in the first leg of their Coppa Italia semi-final earlier this week, are now a point above Milan ahead of their bitter rivals' game in hand against bottom side Crotone on Sunday.

Romelu Lukaku wasted a couple of opportunities and had a goal ruled out, while Dragowski produced four saves in total, but Stellini had no complaints with his side's profligacy.

"We are satisfied with the chances created," he said. "Our forwards have worked well in partnerships, creating several opportunities to score.

"Our players are very generous and sometimes can lose control, but today they were tidy and precise. It wasn't easy so I congratulate the team.

"We don't think about other sides, only our own path. After the game three days ago, it was not easy to come here on a difficult surface."

Fiorentina had won their previous two home league matches and were unfortunate not to be on level terms at half-time as Giacomo Bonaventura struck the crossbar.

However, head coach Cesare Prandelli accepted that his side were second best and did not deserve anything from the game.

"We reacted well to Inter's goal but then opened ourselves up too much," he said. "They were superior to us, but I don't blame my players for anything.

"When you face a team with players that Inter have, who punish you with speed, it can be hard. It's sometimes easier to just give credit to your opponent."

Leon Goretzka and Javi Martinez were not part of the Bayern Munich squad that departed for the Club World Cup on Friday.

Bayern caught a flight to Qatar after their 1-0 victory over Hertha Berlin, which was secured by a deflected first-half strike from Kingsley Coman.

Hansi Flick's side kept a clean sheet thanks to Manuel Neuer's seven saves but they looked vulnerable on the counterattack with Joshua Kimmich anchoring the midfield alone at the Olympiastadion.

Goretzka and Martinez were absent following positive coronavirus tests and they did not travel to Doha with their team-mates.

"We have to look from day to day how things are going for both of them," Flick said.

"Leon is looking a little better, Javi will probably not make it. If not for the first game, then maybe for the second."

Bayern take on Al Ahly on Monday and will contest either the third-place play-off or the final against Palmeiras or Tigres UANL three days later.

The European champions left Germany after opening a 10-point advantage at the Bundesliga summit, though a missed penalty from Robert Lewandowski in the first half against Hertha meant the match was tighter than expected.

"You could tell it would be fiercely contested. Pal Dardai's team fight for every square centimetre," Thomas Muller, who set up Coman to become the first player to reach double figures for goals and assists in the Bundesliga this season, told DAZN.

"We should definitely have scored one or two more goals, so it was a close run thing in the end.

"You can't celebrate in every game. What is striking is that the clean sheet is becoming more and more common."

Cristiano Ronaldo knows he does not have another 20 years left as a player but promised to give 100 per cent for the rest of his career as he turned 36 on Friday.

Five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo is in his 20th year as a professional footballer yet remains as prolific as ever, scoring 22 goals and supplying four assists in 23 appearances in all competitions for Juventus.

The Portugal captain's eight braces are more than any other player in the top five European leagues and he intends to do his utmost to maintain his incredible levels in the twilight of his career.

In a birthday post on Instagram, Ronaldo wrote: "36 years old, unbelievable! It feels like it all started yesterday, but this journey is already full of adventures and stories to remember by. My first ball, my first team, my first goal... Time flies!

"From Madeira to Lisbon, from Lisbon to Manchester, from Manchester to Madrid, from Madrid to Turin, but above all, from the bottom of my heart to the world... I've given everything I could, I never held back and I've always tried to deliver the best possible version of me.

"In return, you gave me your love and admiration, your presence and your unconditional support. And for that, I'll never be able to thank you enough. I couldn't have done without you.

"As I celebrate my 36th birthday and my 20th year as a professional footballer, I'm sorry that I can't promise you 20 more years of this. But what I can promise you, is that as long as I keep going, you'll never receive less than 100 per cent from me!

"Thank you once again for all your support and for your kind messages and initiatives during this day. It means a lot to me and you all have a special place in my heart."

Juve play Roma in Serie A on Saturday and Ronaldo will be hoping to avoid going four straight league games without a goal for the first time since November 2017 with Real Madrid.

Inter moved top of the Serie A table with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Fiorentina in Friday's clash at Stadio Artemio Franchi.

The Nerazzurri had failed to win at Fiorentina in the league in six attempts since 2014 but goals from Nicolo Barella and Ivan Perisic put an end to that run.

Barella's sublime opener after 31 minutes was added to by Perisic's close-range finish in the second half, but only after Giacomo Bonaventura had struck the crossbar for the mid-table hosts.

That proved enough as Inter, who were without suspended head coach Antonio Conte, moved a point above Milan - having played a game more than their bitter rivals.

An off-balance Barella was denied by a superb Bartlomiej Dragowski reaction early on but the midfielder found the back of the net from his next attempt.

Inter worked a short corner and Alexis Sanchez set up Barella, who curled an unstoppable shot into the bottom-right corner from 25 yards.

Fiorentina would have been level before half-time if not for Samir Handanovic, who tipped Bonaventura's angled drive onto the bar and saved Cristiano Biraghi's follow-up effort.

Inter doubled their lead when Perisic tapped into an empty net seven minutes into the second half after Achraf Hakimi raced in behind and squared the ball.

Romelu Lukaku, making his 50th start in Serie A, had a goal chalked off soon after, as Perisic was deemed to be offside in the build-up.

Dragowski was then called into action twice in the space of two minutes to save Perisic's drive and substitute Roberto Gagliardini's header from close range.

Inter could not add to their tally but it mattered little as they completed a league double in this fixture for the first time since 2013-14.

Kingsley Coman's deflected goal gave Bayern Munich a 1-0 win over Hertha Berlin in their final Bundesliga outing before the Club World Cup.

Amid heavy snowfall at the Olympiastadion, Coman scored in the 21st minute after the returning Rune Jarstein – making his first league appearance since June – became just the second Bundesliga goalkeeper to save a penalty from Robert Lewandowski.

Dodi Lukebakio and Krzysztof Piatek had chances for Hertha in Pal Dardai's first home game since taking over as head coach for a second time but Bayern held on for the win.

Hansi Flick's side consequently opened up a 10-point lead at the summit over RB Leipzig, who face bottom side Schalke on Saturday.

Manuel Neuer did well to keep out Lukebakio and Jarstein matched him by denying Leroy Sane, but he tripped the former Manchester City winger to concede an early penalty.

Lewandowski was unable to score from the spot, though, as his run of 16 straight converted penalties in all competitions ended with a redeeming moment for Jarstein.

However, there was nothing the Hertha keeper could do when Coman's shot from just outside the box deflected off Niklas Stark and looped into the back of the net.

Lewandowski was denied by Jarstein before World Cup winner Sami Khedira came off the bench to make his Hertha debut.

Matheus Cunha had a chance to snatch a point for the hosts when he was released by Matteo Guendouzi in the 89th minute but his dink over Neuer drifted just wide.

What does it mean? Bayern show vulnerability

With Javi Martinez and Leon Goretzka absent following positive COVID-19 tests, Joshua Kimmich anchored the midfield alone behind a quartet of Coman, Sane, Thomas Muller and Serge Gnabry while Corentin Tolisso, Marc Roca and Jamal Musiala sat on the bench.

Unsurprisingly that left Flick's side vulnerable on the counter-attack and Neuer was forced to make five saves in the first half of a Bundesliga game for just the second time in his Bayern career.

Hertha were unable to take their chances and Flick will likely have his experienced options available again when they return to Bundesliga duty against Arminia Bielefeld a week on Monday.

No beating Neuer

Things could have been very different had Neuer not got a foot to Lukebakio's third-minute effort. The Germany international made seven saves in total to record his 16th Bundesliga clean sheet against Hertha – a record for any goalkeeper against one particular opponent, having surpassed Oliver Reck's 15 against Borussia Monchengladbach.

Lewandowski runs end

After scoring in nine successive Bundesliga matchdays, Lewandowski failed to find the back of the net against Hertha despite taking a penalty. He was also unable to extend his record run of scoring in eight consecutive top-flight away matches.

What's next?

Bayern go from the snow of Berlin to the sun of Qatar with a Club World Cup semi-final meeting with Al Ahly on Monday. Hertha will look to end their six-game winless run at Stuttgart on Saturday week.

Zinedine Zidane was in a defiant mood and vowed neither he nor his Real Madrid players will throw in the towel during a difficult period.

Los Blancos coach Zidane was absent for the team's past two LaLiga fixtures due to coronavirus, with Madrid following a victory over Deportivo Alaves with defeat against Levante.

The Levante loss was Madrid's fourth in LaLiga this season, one more than they suffered in the whole of their title-winning 2019-20 campaign.

Throw in a shock Copa del Rey defeat to Alcoyano and the pressure has been mounting on Zidane's position as head coach.

But a noticeably fired-up Zidane came out fighting when previewing Madrid's clash against Huesca.

"Well, I can't see into the future, I can't tell you what will happen. I think we need to be in this until the end," he said.

"There's a lot of talk that maybe a change is needed, maybe the manager, maybe this, maybe that, whatever needs to happen will happen. 

"I've said since day one I'm fortunate to be here, I'll make the most of my time here until my last day at the club. 

"If people want me to throw in the towel or the players to give up, I can say neither I nor the players are going to do that. 

"Of course a lot has been said about what we're going through right now, this spell, we haven't recently won enough games. But we're confident we can turn the tide.

"I think we all want to, we all need to, give our all until the end of the season. Of course, a lot could happen from now until the end of the campaign but as a team we're all rowing in the same direction. We're never going to give up, we'll give 100 per cent."

Madrid won 10 straight games and drew their final league fixture when LaLiga resumed after lockdown last season to win the title by five points.

This time around they are third and 10 adrift of leaders Atletico Madrid, with their city rivals owning a game in hand.

There have been suggestions Madrid need to freshen up an aging squad in the close season, but Zidane thinks his team deserved the opportunity to defend their title and more respect should be shown.

"I work, as you know, every day with the players, not at home, although I have been at home recently. Now I'm recovered and fully on board again," he added. 

"We're the defending league champions, we won the title last year. We had the right to try and defend the title we won last season. Maybe next season things will change, but I think we should have the chance to rightfully defend what we won last season. 

"We're not talking about what we won 10 years ago – it's about respect. It's a question I understand, I see comments of course. I think it's good you can say you don't want me here, or don't want me at the club but I think we just need a chance to defend what we won last season.

"I'm the number one in charge of this project. As for next year there'll be changes but I think we deserve this year, this squad deserves the chance to prove themselves to do this for the fans. 

"Nobody is going to jump ship, we'll all going to give it our all for the fans. Hopefully we can give them some things to celebrate, to shout about, they love their team, want to see the team win, play good football. We're going to try and do all those things.

"When we play badly or have a poor result, I think the press can sometimes criticise or be over the top. 

"I think we earnt that respect, and if we don't reach our goals come the end of the season, hand up I'll be the first to accept the blame. 

"Maybe I'm a bit angry, upset, I've been locked up indoors recovering from COVID. Now I'm back we'll battle until the end."

Novak Djokovic said it was "a tough one" to take after Serbia's hopes of retaining the ATP Cup title were ended by defeat to Germany.

The world number one scored a tense 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 7-5 victory over Alexander Zverev in their singles rubber, levelling the match after Jan-Lennard Struff beat Dusan Lajovic in three sets.

Zverev and Struff then teamed up in doubles to net a 7-6 (7-4) 5-7 10-7 win over Djokovic and Nikola Cacic.

The singles workout and win sets up the eight-time Australian Open champion well for the start of that grand slam next week, which was the consolation Djokovic could take from defeat.

Speaking about his singles clash with Zverev, Djokovic said: "It was anybody's game really. He was a set up, a couple points here and there in the beginning of the second. I just returned well when I needed to and closed out the match.

"It's never easy playing against Sascha [Zverev] when he's in form, and he's in really good form. We pushed each other to the very limit, and I'm glad that I had such a battle with him.

"It's unfortunate we lost the tie. That's what this competition is all about. It's about the team, not about winning one match, a singles match. Yeah, it's a tough one."

Germany advance to face Russia in the semi-finals on Saturday, with Daniil Medvedev and Andrey Rublev a formidable combination awaiting them.

Spain secured a shot at Italy in the second semi-final, despite a 2-1 defeat to Greece on Friday.

The Spanish team needed just one win in the group-stage match to advance, and that predictably came as Pablo Carreno Busta, ranked 16th by the ATP, beat world number 462 Michail Pervolarakis.

His 6-3 6-4 success could not be matched by team-mate Roberto Bautista Agut, who fell to a 7-5 7-5 defeat against Stefanos Tsitsipas, while Spain retired from the doubles rubber after one game, giving Greece a 2-1 success in the tie.

It remains to be seen whether Rafael Nadal will be fit to play any part in the semi-final, with the 20-time grand slam champion having been absent so far in the campaign due to a back injury.

"He's working very hard to recover his best feelings," said Spain captain Pepe Vendrell.

"Obviously he couldn't play any matches during the week. It's a situation that we have to study. But day by day he's improving. We will see [on Saturday] if he can play."

AWAY FROM THE ATP CUP, WAWRINKA ABANDONS

In the Murray River Open, Stan Wawrinka withdrew from his quarter-final with Jeremy Chardy after beating Australian Alex Bolt in a tough three-set match earlier in the day. Corentin Moutet, Dan Evans and Felix Auger-Aliassime joined Chardy in the last-four line-up.

Evans defeated Borna Coric, who had eliminated Australian hope Nick Kyrgios in his previous match.

All ATP and WTA tournaments are being played at Melbourne Park this week.

Thursday's play was cancelled due to a COVID-19 case affecting a worker from a hotel that accommodated quarantining players, and that meant Friday's schedule was packed.

The Great Ocean Road Open also saw players needing to win two matches in a day to reach the semi-finals, with Karen Khachanov, Thiago Monteiro and the Italian pair of Jannik Sinner and Stefano Travaglia coming through.

Joe Root savoured a "very special" opening day of the series against India as the in-form England captain marked his 100th Test with a sublime unbeaten century in Chennai.

Root has made a dream start to 2021, scoring a double century in the first Test against Sri Lanka and crafting a hundred in the second match as the tourists sealed a 2-0 whitewash in Galle last month.

The England skipper continued his purple patch at M. A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday, becoming only the ninth player to reach three figures in his 100th Test.

Root was unbeaten on 128 at stumps and although Dom Sibley was dismissed in the final over of the day to end a stand of 200, England are in a strong position on 263-3.

The skipper was understandably emotional on a landmark day and was grateful for some kind words from his team-mates, particularly his deputy Ben Stokes.

He said: "It's very special. Last night the guys put a little surprise together for me – some videos from some past players, and friends and family. And Ben, in particular, stood up and said some really kind words.

"What he said should stay between the two of us and the group, but Ben's a fine human being and it was really nice of him to go out of his way to say some very special things that I will hold dear forever."

"The guys have made it very special for me and I really appreciate it. It's been an amazing two days. I was a little bit emotional [at the toss]," Root added. "I couldn't even remember our team when they asked me about it.

"I was a little bit all over the place, but thankfully when I got out there, I knew it was business as normal and I had a job to do.

"For us to start this series in the way that we have, it couldn't have gone any better, bar a little blip at the end there. So, I really hope that we can build on that tomorrow and I'm obviously delighted with how things have gone personally."

Root stressed the importance of England capitalising on such a promising start.

"We've got to look to try and get as many as we can – 600, 700 if we can, really try and make the most of the first innings while it's good," he said.

"Those foot holes are starting to wear quite quickly. So, if we can bat the whole of tomorrow and maybe into day three, then things could speed up quite quickly for us and you never know what can happen from that point onwards."

Root was full of praise for opener Sibley, who faced 286 balls in a great knock and looked untroubled until he was trapped leg before by Jasprit Bumrah (2-40)

The Yorkshireman said: "That was a fantastic innings today. To come out with maybe a few question marks in his own mind about his game against spin, for him to go and put a performance early on in this series like that, against a high quality attack delivering reverse swing as well, was really impressive.

"He should take a lot of heart and confidence from that into the rest of the series. I really did feel for him – he deserved a hundred – but that's what happens when you play against good players.

"They can take wickets later on in the day and the challenge will be to try and better that partnership that we got together, try and better that tomorrow."

Pep Guardiola expressed disappointment with Jurgen Klopp's attempt at pre-match mind games after the Liverpool manager falsely claimed Manchester City had "a two-week break for COVID reasons".

Champions Liverpool host Premier League leaders City on Sunday, where Guardiola's men have the chance to go 10 points clear of Klopp's side with a game in hand if they can claim a first win at Anfield since 2003.

Both men addressed the media on Friday, with Klopp speaking first and suggesting a coronavirus outbreak within the City squad between Christmas and new year actually helped their title bid.

Asked about Guardiola's recently repeated mantra that his team - currently on a 20-match unbeaten run across all competitions - are playing better because they have managed to "run less" in possession, Klopp focused his attention upon the spike in infections that saw City's scheduled December 28 trip to Everton postponed.

"The more you keep the ball, the less you have to run, probably. We didn't have a break," he said.

"I think City had a two-week break for COVID reasons. It's really tough. It's a tough year, season; for some teams, it looks like lesser but, for us, for the reasons you know, it's tough."

In reality, City had a seven-day break between their 2-0 win over Newcastle United on Boxing Day and a January 3 trip to Chelsea, where a squad heavily depleted by a raft of players being forced to self-isolate secured an impressive 3-1 win.

Having started his own briefing later than scheduled, Guardiola opted to respond initially with heavy sarcasm.

"He made a mistake, it was two months off or three months off. Four months we had off. That is why we are in top form right now," he said.

"Jurgen has to see the calendar again. We had COVID, we had one week and we played with 14 players at Stamford Bridge, Maybe I'm wrong, maybe it was three or four weeks.

"Tomorrow when I see Jurgen I'll say to him, 'How many weeks or days were we off?'"

Guardiola famously endured a tempestuous back and fourth with Jose Mourinho when the pair were in charge of Barcelona and Real Madrid a decade ago - an affair he was perhaps referencing when stating he held Klopp, whom he also competed against in the Bundesliga, to higher standards.

"I'm surprised," he said. "I thought Jurgen was not that type of manager like other ones [for whom] it is usual to do it. I didn't expect that comment. From him, I didn't expect it.

"He knows it’s not true, come on! Nobody in the Premier League has had two weeks off, everyone knows. In some situation you do it [mind games] for a purpose, but I did not expect he will do it."

Liverpool have lost their past two home games 1-0 to Burnley and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Nevertheless, Anfield remains something of a final frontier for Guardiola as City boss, having lost four and drawn one of his five visits to the red side of Stanley Park.

"They are always an incredibly tough team and remain a tough squad," he said.

"They know the process, the skills, the routines and methodology they do offensively. No change.

"They are aggressive and will be more aggressive than ever, I'm pretty sure. They'll rest really well after the game against Brighton and they'll recover in these two weeks off and they will be ready."

City remain without Kevin De Bruyne (hamstring), Nathan Ake (muscular) and Sergio Aguero, who has endured a prolonged absence after testing positive for coronavirus. He is expected to return in a few weeks.

South Africa face a battle to avoid another first-innings deficit after Anrich Nortje's fine work with the ball was undone by a rocky reply to Pakistan's 272 in the second Test.

Pakistan had made 145-3 on day one before rain intervened and Nortje was the cause of their frustration when play resumed on Friday, snaring 5-56 to put the hosts in the field before tea.

But the Proteas' solid early efforts with the bat - including a string of boundaries - were disrupted by Hasan Ali, who removed Dean Elgar (15) and Rassie van der Dussen from consecutive deliveries.

With those wickets right at the end of the second session, the day turned and Faf du Plessis followed to Faheem Ashraf for 17.

Nauman Ali - sublime in the first Test as Pakistan dominated - then teed up a simple but crucial catch for Shaheed Afridi to remove Aiden Markram (32), reducing South Africa to 81-4 before a mini-recovery to 106 without further loss preceded the close of play.

It ended a day of two halves as the Proteas, just like a day earlier, enjoyed a productive first session, with Babar Azam unable to add to his overnight score of 77, edging Nortje to second slip from just the second ball of the day.

Fawad Alam (45), who had held up the other end of a vital partnership on Thursday, swiftly followed, too, run out with a superb direct hit from Temba Bavuma.

Faheem steadied the Pakistan innings slightly, although Nortje's decision to take the second new ball soon paid dividends as he halted Mohammad Rizwan (18) in his next over.

That dismissal ended a promising stand of 41 and Faheem eventually ran out of partners, still unbeaten on 78 as Nortje concluded the innings and his five-for with fierce deliveries to Nauman and Shaheen in the same over.

Only if South Africa can regain some composure with the bat will Nortje be able to celebrate his contribution to a much-needed win, which would be their first in 14 Tests on the subcontinent.

HASAN ALI HAVING HIS SAY

Hasan has endured a tough time with injury in the past few years, returning to the Test arena in this series for the first time since January 2019. If the fast bowler was merely playing a supporting role to the spinners in the opening match last week, this was a more telling contribution, potentially changing the course of the result.

SOUTH AFRICA TURN TO SKIPPER

Quinton de Kock would appear to be taking charge of his final Test match as South Africa captain but may now have to rediscover his best form to make sure it is not a losing swan song. The skipper has not made a Test fifty since January 2020 or a hundred since October 2019, yet the Proteas were reeling as he arrived at the crease on Friday, able to settle the innings a little by dashing to an unbeaten 24 at stumps.

Barcelona were handed a tough draw against Sevilla in the Copa del Rey semi-finals as Ronald Koeman chases his first trophy since being appointed head coach.

The two-leg tie will be a repeat of the teams' memorable meeting at the quarter-final stage two years ago, when Sevilla won 2-0 at home before being thrashed 6-1 at Camp Nou.

Koeman, who took charge last August, saw his side beaten 3-2 in the Supercopa de Espana final by Athletic Bilbao in January, when Lionel Messi was sent off in extra time.

That silverware slipped by but the Dutch coach will hope for a better outcome for Barcelona as the Copa del Rey enters its final stages.

They were almost knocked out in the quarter-finals this week by Granada, saved by late goals in normal time from Antoine Griezmann and Jordi Alba before winning 5-3 after extra time.

Facing Sevilla will surely be no easy task given Barca, second in LaLiga, are just a point ahead of Julen Lopetegui's team.

There could be another final between Barcelona and Athletic in store, with the Bilbao giants drawn to face Levante in the other semi-final.

The first legs of each tie will be played next midweek, with the return games to be played on the first midweek in March, with exact dates for each match to be determined.

Sevilla will have extra incentive to reach the final, given that match will be staged in their home city on April 17, at Estadio La Cartuja.

Because of the coronavirus impact on Spanish football, last season's Copa del Rey final has yet to be played, with that game between Athletic and Real Sociedad to be played at the same Seville stadium on April 3.

Barcelona hold the record for the most Copa del Rey titles, having won the competition 30 times, with Athletic next on the list with 23 victories.