FIFA have hit Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid with a transfer ban.
The threat of it had been held over both clubs’ head for around a year, for the same reason Barcelona were banned from registering players for two transfer windows.
FIFA have punished the clubs for irregularities in the transfer of under-age players who play across their different youth categories.
The Spanish FA (RFEF) has been collecting information about the underage players at these clubs. They are long suspected to have breached Article 19, prohibiting transfer of players under 18 years apart from with specific conditions.
Around 50 players in Madrid’s squads are under suspicion, and it is suspected Los Blancos’ awareness of the sanction saw them speed through the signings of Marco Asensio, Jesus Vallejo and Martin Odegaard. Sport EN
