Real Madrid unlikely to face sanctions over registration of new signing as it is seen as normal practice in La Liga | OneFootball

According to an update shared by AS, it has been learned that Franco Mastantuono’s registration with Real Madrid Castilla should not be seen as an unusual or risky move.

In fact, the outlet highlights that this is a widespread practice in La Liga, used by several clubs in recent seasons to balance squad management with financial rules.

The case of Mastantuono has sparked debate among fans, but examples from across Spanish football show that it is neither new nor exclusive to Real Madrid.

Previous instances

In the 2023/24 season, clubs such as Real Betis registered Chadi Riad and Sergi Altimira with their reserve teams while they played key roles with the first team.

Sevilla did the same with Lucien Agoume and Hannibal Mejbri, while Cadiz used the system for Robert Navarro and Lucas Pires. UD Las Palmas benefited from it with Julián Araujo, and Almería applied the same rule with Luka Romero.

Real Madrid are unlikely to face any sanction regarding Franco Mastantuono. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

Even more striking were the cases of Alvaro Carreras at Granada, now a Real Madrid player, and Sergio Camello at Rayo Vallecano, who was technically registered with Rayo C despite being part of the senior squad.

Widely accepted under La Liga rules

The trend continued into the 2024/25 season, where the demand for this approach only grew. Las Palmas again took advantage with Fabio Silva and Dario Essugo, both loanees from major European clubs. And this is certainly not the end of the list.

In total, more than 12 clubs have made use of this mechanism over just two seasons. Importantly, not a single one faced sanctions or rulings from the RFEF, showing that the practice is fully legal and accepted within Spanish football’s regulatory framework.

La Liga regulations clearly state that any player under 23 registered with a reserve team can alternate freely between squads, as long as they hold a valid licence and are not under suspension.

The only limitation is Article 125, which prohibits registrations in “bad faith” to bypass squad size limits or gain an unfair advantage.

In short, while the theoretical risk of sanction exists, history shows otherwise. Rather than an irregularity, it is simply an example of a system that has become part of the modern La Liga landscape.