The recent appeal filed by Elche CF against Barcelona over a possible misalignment by Gavi did not lead to a final ruling this week by the Competition Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation, known as RFEF. The committee has not yet issued a conclusive decision as the case proceeds through the formal review process.
RFEF lawyers opened a formal file after Elche submitted its plea at the last moment and will wait for Barcelona to present its response. Barcelona has until next Tuesday to lay out its arguments, and a decision on the appeal is anticipated at the meeting scheduled for the following Wednesday.
Elche appeals for a possible misalignment of Gavi in the match against Barcelona
The club’s claim centers on Article 141 of the RFEF General Regulations, which governs how licenses are managed within a single season. The rule specifies that players whose licenses have been revoked cannot obtain a license to play for the same club during the same season. Elche argues that Gavi should be treated under these licensing rules due to questions about how his registration was processed.
Barcelona is expected to contend that the club requested a token replacement or a routine reactivation and that no actual violation occurred. An interim injunction previously granted by Barcelona’s Commercial Court No. 12 allowed the midfielder to be registered on the competitive record, but that injunction was overturned on appeal by the higher court. The club then appealed the related decision through the provincial court system, seeking to clarify the licensing status for its player.
Gavi’s presence in recent fixtures has been a focal point in conversations within Catalan circles, where a common view is that no infringement was identified and that LaLiga, together with the RFEF, approved Gavi’s return to play using the youth license that had been issued earlier. This perspective emphasizes that regional authorities and the league have deemed the licensing arrangement valid for his participation under the terms of the season’s license, despite the controversy raised by Elche.
Elche has already stated that, notwithstanding the objections raised by its opponents, Gavi will continue to participate in forthcoming matches. He is slated to be involved in the King’s Cup semifinal second leg against Real Madrid, subject to the outcome of ongoing proceedings and any adjustments to the licensing records that may arise during the review process.
When a licensing dispute involves another club, the Competition Committee typically asks the opposing side to present its defense. That was the approach in Elche’s protest, and the parties are awaiting the committee’s final determination next week. Current indications suggest that the RFEF lawyers may reject Elche’s claim, arguing that ordinary justice governs licensing matters and that Gavi can continue to play under the license he began the season with until a final decision is issued. If the decision is delayed, a brief recovery period could follow as records are updated and reconciled between the involved parties. In the meantime, the case remains a sensitive topic for fans and clubs, illustrating the ongoing scrutiny of licensing procedures and their practical impact on matchday eligibility and competition integrity. (Source attribution: RFEF General Regulations and related court actions in the licensing process.)