Real Madrid have been thrown out of the Copa del Rey after fielding an ineligible player in their tie against third-tier side Cadiz on Wednesday, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) said on Friday.
Real began the game with Denis Cheryshev — who scored the opening goal in the 3-1 win — in their starting lineup, even though the Russian should have been suspended after he received three yellow cards in the competition for Villarreal last season.
The RFEF’s competition committee judge ruled that the player was “ineligible … so the match is resolved in favor of Cadiz.”
He also slapped Real with a fine of 6,001 euros (US$6,520).
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez on Thursday said that the club “is not at fault” and should not be disqualified from the competition because Cheryshev had “not been personally notified” that he was suspended.
Perez also argued that, according to the club’s interpretation of the competition’s by-laws, previous bookings are voided at the start of the round-of-32.
However, in July, the RFEF gave all clubs a list of players who were under the threat of a suspension for the season.
La Liga president Javier Tebas earlier on Friday said he felt the possible disqualification of Real over the affair “seemed a bit disproportionate.”
Earlier this season, Spanish soccer saw second-division team CA Osasuna booted out of the cup in an almost identical case.
In 2001, Benitez was in charge of Valencia when they were thrown out of the same competition for fielding four non-EU players when only three were permitted.
As soon as Real realized their error on Wednesday, they substituted the player and said that neither the authorities nor Villarreal had warned them.
The controversy comes during a roller-coaster season for Real.
They comfortably qualified for the UEFA Champions League last 16, but are third in La Liga on 27 points, six behind leaders Barcelona and two back from city rivals Atletico Madrid in second.
“It is a long road,” Benitez told a news conference on Friday. “We are doing better than what many people think and we have to prove that on the pitch in every game,” he added.
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