Real Madrid will be able to sign players next summer after the Court of Arbitration for Sport "partially accepted" its appeal regarding a transfer ban imposed by FIFA for "breaking youth transfer regulations," according to Dermot Corrigan of ESPN.com. The club announced on its official website that it will "still not be able to register any new players" during the January transfer window, but will be able to "conduct business as normal next summer." In January, FIFA ruled that both Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid had broken int'l youth transfer rules and would be banned for 12 months from registering any new players -- "in the wake of" rival Barcelona serving a transfer ban throughout '15. Real Madrid said in a statement, "The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has today informed Real Madrid C. F. of their decision by which they have partially upheld the appeal lodged by the club. ... The decision highlights the injustice of the original ban imposed by FIFA, although the club regrets that the CAS lacked the courage to revoke the ruling entirely." Atlético has "not yet commented on the outcome" of its appeal, with Spanish newspaper AS reporting the club will serve a ban during January, believing it will be "permitted to sign players next summer" (ESPN.com, 12/20). The London TELEGRAPH reported Real Madrid's initial $350,000 fine has been reduced to £189,000 ($233,500). The news could mean the club will attempt to sign Borussia Dortmund's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (TELEGRAPH, 12/20).
BARCELONA REACTS: MARCA reported the CAS's decision to shorten Real Madrid's ban "has been met with anger in Barcelona." Barcelona is "at a loss to explain how the appeal was so successful" in comparison to its own, given that it went through "the exact same situation" and even used the same defense lawyers. The club is reportedly seeking an explanation and will "specifically ask," on a case-to-case basis, "what the differences were" between its own failed appeal and Real Madrid's successful one (MARCA, 12/20).
