PHOTO: AFP
MADRID: Barcelona star Gerard Pique spared no chance to laugh at rivals Real Madrid as they face being thrown out of this season's Copa del Rey after reportedly fielding an ineligible player in the first leg of their fourth round tie against Cadiz on Wednesday.
Following the announcement, Pique took to Twitter and appeared to be crying with laughter.
😂😂😂😭😭😭😂😂😂
— Gerard Piqué (@3gerardpique) December 2, 2015
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Russian international Denis Cheryshev opened the scoring in Andalusia, but shouldn't have been on the field as he was due to serve a one-game ban in the competition after picking up three yellow cards whilst on loan at Villarreal last season.
Cheryshev was replaced a minute into the second-half by Mateo Kovacic.
"Clearly we didn't know. Villarreal and the federation hadn't warned us," said Madrid boss Rafael Benitez.
"When we knew we substituted him to show good faith."
Isco scored twice after the break before Cristian Marquez's late consolation rounded off the scoring in a 3-1 Madrid win.
However, the result could yet prove meaningless if Madrid are proved to have fallen foul of the competition's rules with Cadiz president Manolo Vizcaino confirming his club will launch a formal complaint.
"We have decided to report the ineligible line-up," he said.
"It hurts us to do so with a friendly club, but the decision taken has been firm and unanimous."
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Many took to Twitter to express disbelief at news of the expulsion.
https://twitter.com/ChieflySarcastc/status/672192396428382209
https://twitter.com/OFFICIAL_H10/status/672175755560919040
https://twitter.com/lovewillholdus/status/672263895139098624
HAHAHAHAHA "Real Madrid were sent a fax before the game, warning them about disqualification. It wasn't read."
— H (@GoGetMyCoffee) December 3, 2015
Oh for fax sake, @realmadrid!
Other than Barcelona, the fax machine is Real Madrid's biggest rival.
— H (@GoGetMyCoffee) December 3, 2015
https://twitter.com/MESSlSTATS/status/672246958359228416
@MESSlSTATS Benitez "We had no idea that Cheryshev was ineligible to play..As soon as we were aware we took him off"😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😭😭😭😭😭 benitez👏👏😂😂
— Maria (@Maria_Fcb06) December 3, 2015
https://twitter.com/BlancoEdition/status/672232291716964352
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