Cadiz files complaint with RFEF over Real Madrid's fielding of Denis Cheryshev

Cadiz is refusing to be intimidated by Real Madrid's stature.

On Thursday, one day after Denis Cheryshev controversially took the pitch in Real Madrid's 3-1 victory over Cadiz in the Copa del Rey, the Andalusian club filed a complaint with the Real Federacion Espanola de Futbol (RFEF) over the Russian attacking midfielder's alleged ineligibility to play in the fixture.

In the second leg of the semifinals of the 2014-15 Copa del Rey, Cheryshev, then featuring at Villarreal, picked up his third yellow card of the competition. The accumulation of three yellow cards means a player must serve a one-match suspension, and Real Madrid's match at Cadiz on Wednesday marked the first game for which Cheryshev was eligible to serve his suspension.

From Cadiz's official release:

Cadiz has presented a written complaint over the alleged ineligible fielding of Denis Cheryshev in the last hours to the RFEF, as agreed upon unanimously at an extraordinary meeting of the club's board of directors.

The club has received contact from the RFEF this same morning, as the written complaint was accepted and a deadline was given to Real Madrid to address the allegations deemed appropriate.

The cadista club once again shows its utmost respect for Real Madrid and for madridistas, and will not make any declarations until an official statement is made by the RFEF's competition committee, which dictates the magnitude of what happened.

After Cadiz filed a complaint, Florentino Perez, Real Madrid's president, held a press conference in which he made it clear that his club will oppose any sanction over fielding Cheryshev, citing Article 41 of the RFEF's disciplinary code, which pertains to clubs being properly informed of any suspensions.

Related: Florentino Perez says Real Madrid will oppose any sanction for fielding Denis Cheryshev

Perez also cited Article 112, which states that all yellow cards are wiped out after the Copa del Rey's third round. However, even though Real Madrid was visiting Cadiz in the fourth round, nowhere does it say that suspensions are wiped out.

As expected, Perez did not bring up Article 76, which makes it clear that any club who fields an ineligible player in the Copa del Rey will see its opponent advance to the next round.