Barcelona believe they have not committed any irregularity in the Copa del Rey after El Mundo claimed on Thursday that the Catalan club fielded an ineligible player against Levante last week.
The Madrid-based newspaper El Mundo say defender Chumi should not have played in the last-16 first leg match at the Ciutat de Valencia after he had picked up a suspension with Barca B.
El Mundo cite Article 56.3, which says that a club cannot field a youth player at senior level until a ban has been served.
However, it is unclear whether that rule would be applicable in this case because the 19-year-old was suspended for his fifth booking in a league match, not in the cup competition.
Barca believe they have done nothing wrong and expect tonight’s second leg against Levante to go ahead as normal at Camp Nou.
The case is reminiscent of Real Madrid’s situation in 2015-16, when Los Blancos were thrown out of the Copa del Rey for fielding Denis Cheryshev against Cadiz and it transpired that the Russian international was suspended from his time at Villarreal.
Chumi, incidentally, served his suspension at the weekend and has not been called up for tonight’s second leg as Barca look to turn the tie around after last week’s 2-1 loss in Valencia.
