Real Madrid’s Nacho Fernández to miss el Clásico after horror challenge

In a recent decision by the Competitions Committee of the Spanish Football Federation, Real Madrid’s defender Nacho Fernández has been handed a three-match suspension due to a harsh tackle on Portu during their 3-0 win against Girona.

The committee cited Article 122 of the regulations in their resolution, penalizing Nacho for “employing dangerous play causing harm that impairs the abilities of the offended party,” along with imposing fines on both the player and the club.

Real Madrid submitted arguments to the committee, highlighting Nacho’s exemplary professional conduct in terms of fair play and respect for opponents. They also emphasized Nacho’s immediate public apology to the rival player, Portu, whose full name is Cristian Portugués Manzanera, via Instagram after the match. However, despite recognizing the commendable nature of these actions, the committee did not consider them as mitigating circumstances according to Article 10 of the Disciplinary Code. As a result, Nacho’s three-match suspension stands.

Nacho’s absence will be felt keenly, particularly in the upcoming Clásico, which is the last of the three matches he will miss. The first match he’ll sit out is against Osasuna on Saturday, October 7th, followed by the fixture against Sevilla on October 21st at the Pizjuán stadium. Finally, he’ll be unavailable for the highly anticipated Clásico on October 28th in Barcelona. With doubts surrounding David Alaba’s availability for the Osasuna game, Carlo Ancelotti may have only one first-team central defender in Antonio Rüdiger. This situation could potentially lead to strategic adjustments, such as deploying Ferland Mendy or Aurélien Tchouaméni in central positions, or turning to the youth academy for reinforcements.