Fifa grant Real Madrid and Atletico provisional suspension of transfer ban

Barcelona were able to get a suspension on their 2014 transfer ban to sign Luis Suarez, left. Now Atletico Madrid, whom Barca play on Saturday, and Real Madrid have also been granted suspensions on thShow more

Madrid // Fifa have granted Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid a provisional suspension of their one-year ban on registering new players pending the outcome of their appeals, both clubs confirmed on Friday.

Both clubs were handed the sanction for their dealings in the signing of under-age foreign nationals by football’s governing body earlier this month and immediately announced their decision to appeal.

“Fifa’s Appeals Commission has decided to provisionally suspended the sanction imposed on the club,” Real Madrid said in a statement.

Separately, Atletico stated on their official Twitter account: “The Fifa Appeals Commission has granted us the provisional suspension of the sanction whilst the appeal presented by the club is resolved.”

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The ban is due to take effect from when the transfer window shuts on Monday and, barring a successful appeal, will rule out the registration of new players until July 2017.

Atletico were also fined 820,000 euros (Dh3.2m) and Real 330,000 euros.

European champions Barcelona suffered a similar sanction in 2015.

Barca were initially banned in April 2014, but managed to delay the sanction taking effect until the transfer windows in January and the summer of 2015 by also having their ban provisionally suspended despite an ultimately unsuccessful appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

By delaying the ban, Barca managed to sign the likes of Luis Suarez and Ivan Rakitic in the summer of 2014 to propel them to a treble of Primera Liga, Champions League and Copa del Rey.

The same option will be open to Real and Atletico to sign this summer if their appeal is not heard by the time the transfer market reopens on July 1.

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