Liverpool faces a possible disappointment of being expelled from the English League Cup for fielding an ineligible player in last Wednesday’s 2-0 third-round victory over MK Dons.
Chirivella, who was making his first appearance for Liverpool since May 2016, spent the second half of last season on loan at Spanish second division club Extremadura, which means he would have required new international clearance when he returned to his parent club in the summer.
The last club to breach similar rules in England were Sunderland in 2014 when they were fined by the Premier League after being found guilty of fielding the ineligible player Ji Dong-won in four matches, but it was determined the mistake was with the authorities.
Real Madrid was famously disqualified from the Copa del Rey in 2015 after Denis Cheryshev was fielded as an ineligible player during the round-of-32 clash against Cadiz and Liverpool could now possibly face the same fate.
The English Football League (EFL), which administers its cup competition, said it was “currently considering the matter,” in a statement.
The EFL has a range of sanctions at its disposal, ranging from a fine to being thrown out of the competition.
Liverpool reacted to the reports by issuing its own statement.
“The club is aware of a potential administrative issue pertaining to one of our players,” it said.
“We are working with the relevant authorities in order to establish the facts of the matter and will be making no further comment until this process is complete.”
Liverpool is scheduled to play Arsenal at home on the 29th of October in the round of 16 pending the EFL decision.
