Super Cup: Sevilla threaten Barça action over selection rules
The Spanish Football Federation's decision over selection eligibility for the Spanish Super Cup in Tangier has angered Sevilla.
Sevilla have threatened to file a complaint should Barcelona attempt to pick more than three players from outside the European Union in the Spanish Super Cup.
The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) announced ahead of the match that the two teams faced no nationality restrictions in compiling their squads, leaving Barça free to pick from their clutch of new South American recruits, Brazilian pair Arthur and Malcom and Chile's Arturo Vidal having arrived at Camp Nou in the off-season.
Sevilla had already been antagonised by the RFEF's decision to stage the Super Cup, traditionally a two-legged, home-and-away tie, as a one-off match in Tangier.
Sevilla threaten to report Barcelona for "improper line-up"
And the Andalusian club posted a message on Twitter on Saturday raising their concerns about Barça's potential line-up. "Sevilla FC is surprised by the RFEF's statement 24 hours before the Super Cup," the tweet read.
"It has stated that as many non-EU players as desired can be registered, despite the fact that in their last notice for the 18/19 season, only three were due to be permitted, without exception.
"The club's legal department is studying the matter and should FC Barcelona submit a team with more than three non-EU players, it would present possible ground for the filing of a complaint on account of an improper line-up."
Coutinho now thought to have EU passport
Sevilla's objections may prove unfounded, though. Brazilian Philippe Coutinho is understood to have gained a Portuguese passport through his wife, easing Ernesto Valverde's selection constraints.