Real Madrid face Copa expulsion for playing suspended Cheryshev

“The club had no idea”, Benitez told reporters after the game.

The under-fire Spanish tactician spoke out about the 24-year-oild Colombia global midfielder ahead of Los Blancos’ Copa del Rey tie with Cadiz on Wednesday evening.

Less than two weeks after their humiliating 4-0 loss at home to Barcelona in the Clasico, they now face elimination from the Copa del Rey for fielding a player who should have been suspended.

Denis Cheryshev started and scored in his side’s 3-1 away victory, but has yet to serve a suspension for receiving three yellow cards in the tournament while on loan at Villarreal in 2014-15.

Cadiz president Manolo Vizcaino said after the match that his club would indeed lodge a complaint, albeit “with pain in our hearts, because Madrid is a friend”.

Real Madrid did not define the recovery period, but it appears that Carjaval can not return before the end of 2015.

Mateo Kovacic then came on for Cheryshev just after the start of the second-half but the inclusion of the player in the starting lineup could result in Real’s expulsion from the competition. “The moment we discovered this could be the situation, we substituted him at halftime”, Benitez said. “I have spoken to the federation, but we will have to wait and see”.

French Prime Minister Manuel Valls added his voice to the debate on Tuesday by claiming sportsmen who don’t behave in an “exemplary” manner shouldn’t play for the national team.

Cadiz fans broke into party mode as the news filtered through in the first half, singing: “Benitez look at Twitter”, and “we’re going to win this game because Cheryshev can’t play!”

“I consider him a fundamental player for us”.

Meanwhile Benitez has denied fielding the player intentionally.

Unfortunately for Real there is recent precedent that will count against them as Osasuna have already been disqualified from this season’s competition after making a similar mistake in an earlier round back in September.