Real Madrid kicked out of King’s Cup after fielding ineligible player

Real Madrid’s woes deepened on Friday when the Spanish soccer federation (RFEF) expelled them from the King’s Cup for using an ineligible player in Wednesday’s last-32, first-leg match at third-tier Cadiz.

Real included Denis Cheryshev in their starting line-up for their first match of the 2015-16 competition even though he should have been serving a one-match suspension and the Russia forward opened the scoring in a 3-1 victory.

In a nine-page ruling, the RFEF sharply criticised Real, saying they should have been aware of the sanction, and as well as disqualifying the club fined them 6,000 euros (HK$50,000).

Real president Florentino Perez insisted on Thursday the club had not broken the rules, saying neither Cheryshev nor Real was notified he was banned. They said on Friday they would appeal the sanction.

“Real Madrid CF reaffirms its reasoning and confirms that it will present the appropriate appeal with the certainty that the final decision will be favourable to the club,” they said on their website.

Already smarting after bitter rivals Barcelona thrashed them 4-0 at the Bernabeu in last month’s La Liga Clasico, it is another embarrassing setback for the world’s richest club by income following their failed attempt to sign Spain goalkeeper David de Gea from Manchester United in the close season.

That deal broke down when the paperwork did not arrive on time to complete, with both clubs blaming each other for the bureaucratic mix-up.