Barcelona lose appeal over Copa de la Reina expulsion

Spain’s Administrative Tribunal for Sport (TAD) has rejected Barcelona’s appeal against their expulsion from this season's Copa de la Reina. 

Barcelona were initially expelled from the competition despite their 9-0 thrashing of Osasuna in the last 16 after it was ruled that they fielded an ineligible player, Geyse.

After the match, in which Geyse scored the fourth goal, Osasuna filed an official complaint to the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) stating that Geyse should have been banned for the tie due to a suspension she picked up in last season’s competition while playing for her former club. 

Last season, Geyse, who played for Madrid CFF, was sent off after being shown a second yellow in the competition. The Brazilian then made the move to Barcelona in the summer transfer window. 

But Spanish rules stipulate that Geyse still needed to observe a suspension for the red card, with the official rules stating: “When a competition has ended or the club concerned has been eliminated and a suspension match remains to be served, the sanction will be served in the following season. Irrespective of whether the sanctioned player changes clubs or division.”

TAD’s ruling matches that of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), which means that if Barcelona want to pursue further action, they will have to go to the ordinary courts. 

The club are arguing that Geyse’s sanction did not appear on the RFEF website ahead of the match.