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Copa del Rey

Cheryshev Precedent Haunts Real Madrid Ahead of Talavera Clash

Real Madrid Copa del Rey

Real Madrid must tread carefully to avoid another Denis Cheryshev-style blunder in their Copa del Rey clash with Talavera on Wednesday night. 

This time, Franco Mastantuono is giving Los Blancos a headache, and they must manage the situation skillfully to avoid disqualification.

It is a must-win match for Xabi Alonso, who faces an uncertain future at the club. According to reports, he could be dismissed if he cannot beat Talavera and Sevilla in the next five days.

Madrid have already shortlisted managers who could take charge if Alonso is dismissed mid-season.

Real Madrid Face Franco Mastantuono Dilemma in Copa del Rey

Real Madrid will travel to Estadio El Prado for their Copa del Rey Round of 32 meeting with Talavera on Wednesday night.

Coach Xabi Alonso is expected to heavily rotate his squad, possibly resting the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Thibaut Courtois.

Argentine midfielder Franco Mastantuono is likely to be one of the players to benefit from the rotation. However, due to Copa del Rey regulations, Madrid will have to exercise increased caution in selecting Mastantuono.

Despite training and playing with the senior team, Mastantuono is registered as a Real Madrid Castilla player. To ensure teams give the Copa del Rey a fair shake, the competition limits how many reserve-team players can be on the pitch at a time.

Copa del Rey Team Selection Rules Limit Reserve-Team Selections

According to the updated Copa del Rey rulebook, a team cannot have more than four non-first-teamers at any point in the match. If more than four reserve-team players are on the pitch, the RFEF could consider it an improper lineup.

The rule states:

“Once the match has started, and throughout its duration, teams may not include more than four players who are not part of the squad for the category in which they play.

“The fact that, for any reason, the team is made up of more players than those referred to in the previous paragraph, may be considered an improper lineup violation by the disciplinary body.”

So, when Mastantuono is on the pitch, Xabi Alonso can field a maximum of three players who are not registered with the first team. Even if a player is sent off, no more than four reserve-team players can be on the pitch at a time.

Cheryshev Memory Still Haunts Madrid

Real Madrid must be very careful to avoid fielding an ineligible player and being disqualified for a second time from the Copa del Rey.

In December 2015, Real Madrid beat Cadiz 3-1 in the first leg of their Round of 32 clash. However, hours after their win, Madrid were disqualified from the competition for fielding Denis Cheryshev, who should have been serving a ban.

The Russian forward picked up the suspension during his loan spell at Villarreal. Los Blancos did not do their due diligence and suffered an embarrassment as a result.

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