Liverpool fined for fielding ineligible player Pedro Chirivella in Carabao Cup
Liverpool have been fined £200,000 for fielding an ineligible player during their 2-0 win over MK Dons in the Carabao Cup.
The Premier League leaders could have been expelled from the competition after it came to light they had played the midfielder Pedro Chirivella in the third-round tie without the necessary international clearance. Instead, the European champions have been punished with a fine, £100,000 of which is suspended.
The issue surrounded Chirivella, who came off the bench in the 63rd minute, and the absence of an international transfer certificate – required after the 22-year-old returned from a loan spell with the Spanish club Extremadura last season.
The EFL said in a statement: “Following a comprehensive review of all the evidence, the board determined that it wasn’t appropriate to expel the club from the competition because of a number of mitigating factors.”
Liverpool requested the paperwork in July but the process can only be completed with the Football Association’s intervention and that is where the club believe the error has been made.
A statement from the EFL continued: “In particular, the board noted that the club had sought the assistance of the Football Association in securing the return of the international clearance prior to the start of this season, and the club had been able to include the player on team sheets for Premier League Two matches [under Premier League rules] and one Leasing.com Trophy match, which resulted in the breach not being identified until the club reported the issue to the EFL and Premier League following the MK Dons match.
“As a result, the club has also been found guilty of misconduct in relation to the same breach for having fielded the player in the defeat against Oldham Athletic in the Leasing.com Trophy on 7 August, with the sanction incorporated into the financial penalty. The club will be liable for the suspended sum of 100,000, plus an additional sanction, if they were to again field an ineligible player in the Carabao Cup between now and the end of next season.”
A Liverpool club spokesperson said: “The club accepts the judgement, outcome and punishment imposed by the EFL. We believe it is proportionate with the technical indiscretion committed and will be making no further representations. Even though there were mitigating factors, which were beyond our control or jurisdiction, we believe it appropriate we apologise to the competition’s governing body and also to Milton Keynes Dons.”