Real Madrid's 'Cheryshev-gate': Eibar narrowly escape repeat
Eibar had to make a late change to their line-up for Tuesday's Copa clash at Sporting Gijón after it emerged Alejandro Gálvez was ineligible.
Eibar were forced into a last-minute change to their team for Tuesday's Copa del Rey clash at Sporting Gijón after being warned that Alejandro Gálvez was ineligible.
The Basques had initially named the defender in their line-up for the last-32 first leg, before it emerged on radio station Cadena Cope that he was suspended.
Gálvez still banned from time at Rayo
Having already announced their XI to face Sporting, Eibar then hastily issued a new team sheet with Frenchman Florian Lejeune in the side instead.
Gálvez was yet to serve a one-match ban incurred after collecting a third yellow card in the competition back in the 2013/14 season, while at Rayo Vallecano.
Had Eibar fielded the 27-year-old, they would have exposed themselves to probable expulsion from the Copa - as happened to Real Madrid last term.
Real Madrid thrown out of Copa last season
Real were thrown out of the 2015/16 edition of Spain's domestic cup after playing Denis Cheryshev at Cádiz in December, despite the 25-year-old Russian being banned due to a suspension picked up during an earlier loan spell at Villarreal.
AS has learned that Eibar did in fact ask the Spanish FA (RFEF) about Gálvez's availability but, having not received a conclusive response, had opted to pick him.