Real Madrid's 1-0 victory over Getafe last weekend helped Los Blancos reclaim the second spot in La Liga. With the victory, they surpassed Atletico Madrid, while still trailing Barcelona, who went on to secure the title against Espanyol. However, the club's win may be in jeopardy due to a formal complaint lodged by Getafe. Getafe have reportedly lodged a complaint against Real Madrid to the Royal Spanish Football Federation, accusing them of ineligible substitution in the recent LaLiga Santander game between the two teams.
Ancelotti strategically implemented heavy squad rotation to ensure the fitness and sharpness of his key players in preparation for the upcoming second leg clash against Pep Guardiola's Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League final. The complaint revolves around a moment of confusion during the match (84th minute) when Marco Asensio, who was supposed to be substituted for Alvaro Odriozola, nearly left the pitch. However, an injury to Eduardo Camavinga forced Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to alter his plans, resulting in Asensio remaining on the field and Camavinga being substituted for Odriozola instead.
Getafe's claim is that Alvaro Odriozola, who replaced Camavinga, had already stepped onto the field before the substitution, so it should have been Asensio who came off, not Camavinga. The complaint has been forwarded to Real Madrid by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, and the club now have three days to respond and present any counter-arguments. The Competition Committee will then review the case.
According to the rules governing substitutions, it states that "a substitution is considered complete when the substitute enters the field of play." This is precisely what Getafe is asserting: since Odriozola was already on the pitch, Asensio should have been the substitute, not Camavinga. If the complaint was upheld, Getafe would be awarded a 3-0 win.
The rules further state that before the start of the match, the names of substitutes must be provided to the referee. Any substitute whose name has not been given to the referee prior to the match cannot participate in the game. To replace a player with a substitute, the following conditions must be observed:
The referee must be informed before the substitution is made.
The substitute can only enter the field of play after the player they are replacing has left the field and upon receiving the referee's signal.
The substitute can enter the field of play only from the halfway line during a pause in play.
A substitution is considered complete when the substitute enters the field of play.
Once substituted, a player cannot re-join the match unless unlimited substitutions are permitted.
All substitutes are subject to the authority of the referee, regardless of their participation in the game.
Additionally, the Federation has also forwarded the referee's report from the Espanyol vs Barcelona match to the Competition Committee. The report addresses the invasion of the pitch by Espanyol fans during Barcelona's celebration of winning the LaLiga Santander title. This incident will be subject to further investigation, resulting in a lengthier process.
However, their complaint has been dismissed by RFEF, which suggests the substitution had no bearing on ‘improper alignment’ as Asensio had never left the field of play. He was still on the pitch when Camavinga was taken off. Such a decision was already projected by the Spanish media shortly after the game. But it has now been confirmed by RFEF, meaning Real Madrid would receive no penalty, which could have come in the form of a 3-0 defeat.
Getafe, though, have ten days to file an appeal against the decision if they do have a proper argument. But it is unlikely that is going to be the case, as Asensio had truly never left the field of play. While a blow indeed for Getafe, they will look to shift focus on the upcoming matches. Although the Azulones are still involved in the relegation fight, the win against Real Betis will surely be very helpful for them to stay out of relegation.
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