Zidane’s sons sidelined amid Fifa ban confusion

Madrid: None of Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane’s four sons started for their respective sides with the club’s academy this weekend amid confusion over their status after Fifa handed the club a one-year transfer ban.

Real, and local rivals Atletico Madrid, were slapped with the sanction of not being able to register new players for the 12 months between July 2016 and 2017 for alleged irregularities in the signing of foreign nationals under 18.

The club admitted on Thursday two of Zidane’s sons had been among 39 players Fifa had investigated.

“It seems absurd because they have lived their whole lives here in Madrid with family and it will be fixed,” Zidane said on Saturday ahead of his second game in charge of Madrid against Sporting Gijon.

Elyaz, 10, Theo, 13 and Luca, 17, were all left out, whilst Enzo, 20, was only introduced as a substitute for Real Madrid Castilla - the side Zidane had coached for 18 months before taking over the senior side earlier this month.

Zidane, meanwhile, predicted the appeal by his club would succeed.

“I am a little annoyed, but there are things that are very difficult to accept and that are absurd. Next week it will all be worked out and I am calm. It doesn’t make any sense. It is an error.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone was also dismissive. “I won’t waste my energy on this type of situation,” Simeone said. “Upon appeal, different things can happen.”

Both Madrid and Atletico can sign players during the current winter window. After it closes, they can still reach deals to buy players but cannot register them to play until after the 2016-17 season.

Barcelona were banned for two transfer windows during 2015 for similar breaches of rules for signing players under the age of 18.

FIFA said Madrid and Atletico violated “several provisions concerning the international transfer and registration of minor players.”

The Spanish league has supported the clubs.