Real Madrid’s low key summer transfer window is set to come under even more criticism, as FIFA has rejected the appeals lodged by Real and Atletico Madrid against the transfer bans imposed on them. La Liga rivals Barcelona now have a big advantage over their two top rivals.
In a situation similar to what Barcelona faced in 2015, Los Blancos and Los Rojiblancos had been found guilty of discrepancies regarding their signing of foreign players under the age of 18. They were slapped with a transfer ban in January, 2016 but both clubs lodged an appeal which meant that they could still buy players this summer.
However, FIFA has dismissed the appeal, and now both the La Liga giants face a transfer ban till the year 2018.
“The FIFA Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs Atlético de Madrid and Real Madrid and to confirm in their entirety the decisions rendered by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee in the respective cases relating to the protection of minors,” read the official statement released by FIFA.
The statement further added that both Madrid clubs would be banned from bringing in new players in the next two transfer windows. Atletico and Real will also be fined approximately €822,000 and €330,000 respectively.
Real Madrid will be especially distressed about this situation. They had a low key transfer window where they only brought in one major signing, Alvaro Morata, who they bought back from Juventus for €30 million.
Their local rivals Atletico, on the other hand, have had a busy summer, bringing in a good mix of youth and experience as well as extending the stay of club icon Fernando Torres by a year. They have spent upwards of €80 million on the likes of Sevilla forward Kevin Gameiro, Argentine winger Nico Gaitan and Croatian full-back Sime Vrsaljko.
The transfer ban seems to offer an advantage to La Liga champions Barcelona. However, the detrimental effect of a one year transfer ban can be contained, as the Blaugrana themselves showed in 2015. They won the treble that year and the La Liga title the following season.
