Atletico Madrid have been fined €46,000 for breaching third party ownership rules in signing Alessio Cerci from Torino in 2014.
The Italian international moved to Spain for a fee of around €16m, but made just 11 appearances for Atleti, scoring once.
Atletico Madrid have been fined €46,000 for breaching third party ownership rules in signing Alessio Cerci from Torino in 2014.
The Italian international moved to Spain for a fee of around €16m, but made just 11 appearances for Atleti, scoring once.
However, that transfer breached article 18b of the FIFA statutes on player transfers, which states “no club shall enter into a contract which enables any other party to that contract or any third party to acquire the ability to influence in employment and transfer-related matters its independence, its policies or the performance of its teams”.
Marca reports that a third-party Qatari fund purchased 50 per cent of Cerci’s registration, though that isn’t specified in FIFA’s ruling.
“The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has sanctioned the club Atletico de Madrid, Spain, with a fine of CHF 52,500 and a warning for breaching art. 18bis of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players,” the governing body confirmed.
“The club was found to be liable for entering into a contract that enabled a third party to influence the club’s independence in employment and transfer-related matters and entering incorrect information in the International Transfer Matching System.”