Real Madrid have dismissed reports that they had not realised that only one of either Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Lassana Diarrą could be registered to play for them in the Champions League.

The Spanish giants were reported to have made a mistake by daily sports paper Marca under the headline 'Champions League Ridicule' and had to choose between their new signings.

According to UEFA's regulations clubs can introduce three new players to their squad, but only one of those can have played in the UEFA Cup already this term.

Both Huntelaar and Diarrą have played for Ajax and Portsmouth in the UEFA Cup and Marca claimed that Los Merengues were slightly red-faced about having to leave one of them out.

"The Club's Legal Services were aware of the fact that one of the two aforementioned players couldn't be inscribed to play in the Champions League due to an interpretation of a UEFA normative, but they nevertheless think there can be another interpretation to articles 17.17 and 17.18 of said normative as they believe it tries to avoid the adulteration of the competition by a footballer participating with a new team when he had previously done so with another," statement on the Madrid website read.

"It seems obvious to them that there is no risk of this happening since the player participated in two different competitions. The Club will therefore make its argument known to UEFA.

"Legal advice aside, both the Sports Department and the first team coach advised the Club to sign both players because they believe they will help the entity achieve its present and future goals.

"Prior to making any new signing, the Club's Services inform about all the different sporting, financial, medical and legal aspects regarding it.

"The sporting aspects are naturally more important. The signings of Huntelaar and Lassana Diarrą, as well as other signings that could currently take place, came about due to necessities of the Club - derived from numerous and serious injuries suffered by starter players- that had to be addressed, but they could in no way fail to be part of a mid to long term sports planning.

"This is proven by the sums of money that were invested in the signings and by the fact that the new players' contracts last for more than four years.

"Finally, the Club believes that by making signings only to strengthen the team for the upcoming knock-out stages of the Champions League it would be underestimating the current squad and ignoring the high expectations set on the Spanish league."

Lucas Brown, Goal.com

 

I would think Huntelaar would be the obvious choice between those two...

 

good to have you back Chris long time no see

 

Juande Ramos is keen to let Lassana Diarra claim the coveted Champions League registration place, but his superiors at Real Madrid are adamant that the spot should go to Klaas Jan Huntelaar.

The vast majority of Real Madrid fans would rather see the Dutchman take the mantle, because, given that he is a forward, he represents a far more glamorous option. Juande Ramos, however, is of the opposite opinion, but it is not one shared by the rest of the club. Ramos believes that Ruud Van Nistelrooy's absence is easier to fill than Mahamadou Diarra's, but the club thinks otherwise.

There still remains the very faint possibility of an appeal by Real Madrid to UEFA, asking them to bend the rules, given that none of the players' respective UEFA Cup campaigns have had any impact on the Champions League whatsoever. In the unlikely event of UEFA agreeing to this, however, there would certainly be some serious backlash expected from Liverpool, Real Madrid's next opponents in the competition.

According to El Mundo Deportivo, an anonymous senior Real Madrid official said, "We already look ridiculous, and it would be doubly so if we were to complain to UEFA. It would be best not to do anything. Whether the law is correct or not is another matter, but it is there, and we should have known about it before making the signings."

Arjun Miglani, Goal.com

 

are you now madrid official reporter !!