Real Madrid are in danger of being expelled from the Copa del Rey after fielding an ineligible player in the first leg of their round of 32 tie against Cadiz on Wednesday night.
Russian winger Denis Cheryshev, who actually scored for Real in just the third minute at the Ramón de Carranza, was supposed to be suspended but was involved anyway in what looks like a huge oversight from club officials.
The 24-year-old picked up his cup suspension after collecting three yellow cards last season while on loan with Villarreal. However, because the club were eliminated from the competition he never actually had the opportunity to serve his ban. It therefore carried over to this season and seems to have slipped under the radar.
The RFEF communique from March 6 confirming that Denis Cheryshev (Villarreal) has a 1 match #CopaDelRey sanction pic.twitter.com/zQrLVAIUB2
— AS English (@English_AS) December 2, 2015
@English_AS Cheryshev was on loan at Villarreal last season from RM but the sanction is player related as opposed to club related
— AS English (@English_AS) December 2, 2015
Cheryshev was replaced by Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic almost immediately after the second half began but by then the damage had already been done and Real’s fate lies in the hands of the Spanish Football Federation.
Unfortunately for Real there is recent precedent that will count against them as Osasuna have already been disqualified from this season’s competition after making a similar mistake in an earlier round back in September.
In a further twist, it has also become apparent that Borja Mayoral, who was named on the bench may have been ineligible as well. The youngster was sent off in the final of last season’s Juvenil cup and some have claimed that he should have been serving a suspension too.
Canal+ announce that Madrid's, Borja Mayoral shouldn't be on the bench tonight as he was red carded in the final of the Copa Del Rey Juvenil
— AS English (@English_AS) December 2, 2015