Liverpool Fined Over Fielding Pedro Chirivella in the Carabao Cup

Liverpool have been fined an amount of £200,000 after an ineligible player took the field for them in the Carabao cup clash against MK Dons.

Pedro Chirivella, who returned to Anfield after a loan spell in Spain, was required to produce an international transfer certificate. Apparently, Liverpool were found guilty if fielding him without the certificate, when he came in as a substitute in their 2-0 victory over MK Dons.

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.”

The guardian reported that Liverpool had 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.

“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,” the statement continued.

“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.”

The club accepted the punishment and apologised to the FA.

“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,” a Liverpool club spokesperson was quoted as saying by the Guardian.