Trouble in Spain as Sevilla vows to boycott Spanish Super Cup against Barcelona over players issue
- Barcelona and Sevilla battle for this year's Spanish Super Cup in Morocco
- Los Hispalenses are planning to protest if Barca name more than three non European players in their match day squad
- For the first time in the history of the competition, the winner will be decided over one leg as against the two legged affair in the past
La Liga gaints Sevilla have threatened to boycott their Super Cup encounter against Barcelona on Sunday if they name more than three non-European Union players for the match.
Spanish football federation announced that there will not be restrictions on the number of non-EU players as it classed the game as "not professional".
According to the rule governing the game in Spain, only three non-EU players are allowed in each La Liga matchday squad.
It had been thought the Spanish Super Cup was the same but Sevilla said they would object to "an improper line-up".
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The Spanish Super Cup preceeds every La Liga opener and the match it is between La Liga champions against the Copa del Rey winners, but since Barcelona won the domestic double last season, Sevilla qualify as Copa del Rey runners-up.
The winner of the match that will be staged in Tangier, Morocco, will be decided over one leg for the first time.
A Sevilla club statement read: "Sevilla FC is surprised by the RFEF [Spanish football federation]'s statement 24 hours before the Super Cup.
"It has stated that as many non-EU players as desired can be registered. In their last notice for the 18-19 season, only three were due to be permitted, without exception.
"The club's legal department is studying the matter and should FC Barcelona submit a team with more than three non-EU players, it would present possible ground for withdrawal on account an improper line-up."
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Arturo Vidal, Malcom and Arthur likely to take Barca's three slots. Barca have taken four non-EU players to Morocco, including defender Marlon.
Brazilian Philippe Coutinho is thought to have gained a Portuguese passport in the last few days through his wife, with Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi already having EU citizenship.
Barca boss Ernesto Valverde was not happy with the rule change either. "As for the Supercopa not being a professional competition, I do not know what to tell you," he said.
"I think that Sevilla are professionals and we are professionals. With all the trouble we have had this week with non-EU squad members, they could have warned us before."
NAIJ.com previously reported that Lionel Messi has been named Barcelona captain following Andres Iniesta's exit from Camp Nou.
The Argentina international takes over from Iniesta following his move to Vissel Kobe in the J League at the end of the 2017-18 campaign.
The 30-year-old has worn the arm-band for the Catalan giants on numerous occasions before he was named vice-captain since 2015.
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Source: Naija.ng