Real Madrid and Atletico madrid were handed transfer bans (for the next two windows) related to the signing of youth players from foreign countries, and now FIFA has upheld those bans. Real and Atletico wil not be able to register new players until the January 2018 transfer window.
From a FIFA statement on the appeal rejection:
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.
We don't feel one way or the other about Real Madrid, but it's going to be funny when Zinedine Zidane has to call up someone from Real Madrid B because of an injury crisis and he picks his kid over Matin Odegaard. We can feel the earth's temperature rising from the heat of the takes already.
As for Atletico, we can't wait to watch Diego Simeone come up with new and creative ways to park the bus without the ability to bring in new players. He's going to have to rely on the youth squad, and, in our experience, youths aren't very good bus drivers.
Both clubs have said they will appeal further.
Contact The18 Staff Writer Sam Klomhaus at Klomhaus@The18.com or follow him on Twitter @SamKlomhaus
