FC Barcelona Femení have been fined €1,001 and eliminated from Copa de la Reina, after they unknowingly fielded Geyse Ferreira in the 9-0 win vs Osasuna in RO16.
Geyse was due to serve suspension carried over from last season while playing for Madrid CFF.
The Catalan giants eased to victory, with Geyse Ferreira scoring the fourth goal in their dominant win.
However, Osasuna claimed afterwards that Ferreira should not have been allowed to play after she was sent off for Madrid CFF in the competition last season.
It has subsequently been concluded that the ban should have carried over to this term, meaning Ferreira was suspended for the Osasuna game.
The Spanish FA (RFEF) have now expelled Barcelona from the cup, despite the club claiming that the suspension had not shown up on RFEF’s website ahead of the game.
Osasuna will take Barcelona’s place in the quarter-finals following their complaint.
Barcelona have also been fined €1001 (£884) for their actions, and have 10 days to appeal the verdict.
The ruling is a devastating blow for Barcelona, who were looking to win the Copa de la Reina for the fourth successive season.
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They will not be able to do so after RFEF’s decision, and fellow Spanish side Sevilla have also been eliminated for fielding a banned player.
Sevilla beat Villarreal 1-0, but Nagore Calderon came on as a second-half substitute, despite being shown a red card in her previous appearance in the competition in last year’s quarter-finals.
Villarreal will progress to the quarter-finals instead, and the competition is now wide open following Barcelona and Sevilla’s controversial exits.
