Real loses final appeal over Spanish Cup expulsion

MADRID — Real Madrid's expulsion from the King's Cup for fielding an ineligible player was upheld Monday by the Spanish government's Disciplinary Committee for Sports (TAD) following an appeal by the 10-time European champions. Real included Denis Cheryshev in its starting lineup in a last-32, first-leg game at third-tier Cadiz in early December when he should have been serving a one-match ban. The Russia forward opened the scoring in a 3-1 victory. The TAD, which had already turned down attempts by Real Madrid to get its expulsion temporarily suspended, said in a written ruling it had rejected the appeal and that the decision was final. Read said it respected but disagreed with the decision, adding in a statement that it would now seek to appeal through the courts and was studying other legal options. Real president Florentino Perez had previously said it did not break the rules and that neither Cheryshev, who incurred the sanction playing on loan at Villarreal last season, nor the club were notified that he was banned. As well as the disqualifying Real from the King's Cup, the Spanish football federation (RFEF) fined it 6,001 euros (£4334), saying it should have been aware of the ban. — Reuters