It’s never a good sign when the transfer window slams shut and there’s still paperwork floating around. That’s exactly what happened with Aymeric Laporte’s intended move from Al Nassr to Athletic Bilbao. Just like Jota Silva’s situation with Sporting, the necessary documents for Laporte didn’t make it in time before the September 1st deadline. What a mess, right?
The Basque club confirmed yesterday, through an official statement, that they had tried to get an exception. They appealed to FIFA, hoping to validate the transfer after the deadline passed. But the football world’s governing body said no. FIFA rejected the initial processing of Laporte’s International Transfer Certificate, or ITC. This means, for now at least, Athletic cannot register the player.
The Spanish team made it clear they are still working hard to fix this issue. They are looking into every legal avenue possible. However, the club also made a point to say that if Laporte cannot be registered, then all agreements with Al Nassr and with the player himself become null and void. Talk about a tough break for everyone involved.
Valverde Suspended
As if one piece of bad news wasn’t enough, Athletic Bilbao, who will face Sporting in the Champions League on January 28th, got a double dose of disappointment yesterday. Their coach, Ernesto Valverde, found himself in hot water with the Spanish federation. He was slapped with a four-game suspension. This came after he criticized the referee following their match against Betis.
The coaching staff wasn’t the only one getting in trouble. Goalkeeper Álex Padilla also received a three-match ban. His offense? He threw a ball onto the pitch while sitting on the bench during a game. It seems like Athletic Bilbao had a day full of setbacks, both on and off the field.