RFEF to pardon players due to miss LaLiga opener through suspension

Six players who were due to miss the opening round of LaLiga fixtures this weekend through suspension will be pardoned by the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), provided the Higher Sports Council (CSD) approves the move.

The RFEF had proposed a new law whereby players who received a fifth yellow card on the final day of a given season will not then be suspended for the first match of the following campaign.

President Luis Rubiales is hopeful the six individuals set to be sidelined will be free to play for their respective clubs.

A statement from the RFEF read: "We want to inform you that, given the information that appears [in the media] in this regard, we have consulted the Higher Sports Council (CSD) on the feasibility and legality of the RFEF president adopting a pardon measure for those players who at the beginning of this season are required to comply with the sanction of a game without playing for the accumulation of five yellow cards in the previous season.

August 15, 2019

"We inform that if the CSD ratifies us in writing, the viability and legality of said measure and that with the adoption of the same, no disciplinary infraction would be committed, the president of the RFEF will immediately proceed to adopt the pardon agreement for all those players who are in that situation."

Despite the RFEF confirming their plans on Thursday, there remains a degree of uncertainty about whether the CSD will agree to alteration in time for the start of the 2019-20 season, which begins on Friday.

Should the law not be passed in time, Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid), Jose Luis Gaya, Dani Parejo (both Valencia), Nemanja Maksimovic (Getafe), Diego Llorente and Aritz Elustondo (both Real Sociedad) will miss their teams' fixtures.