Villarreal not responsible for Cheryshev saga, claims president

Villarreal president Fernando Roig says the club have no responsibility to bear over the suspension row involving Denis Cheryshev and Real Madrid.

Madrid face a possible expulsion from the Copa del Rey after Cheryshev started and scored in their 3-1 win over Cadiz on Wednesday, despite questions over whether the Russian had served a suspension.

The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Villarreal and picked up his third booking of the 2014-15 competition during the second leg of their semi-final defeat to eventual winners Barcelona.

The one-match ban picked up during that game is at the centre of the issue for Madrid, with Rafael Benitez’s side likely to learn their fate on Friday after Cadiz reported the matter to Spain’s football authorities.

But Villarreal president Roig maintains it has nothing to do with his club, stating that all teams were notified of suspensions prior to the season.

“We aren’t responsible for players who are not in our squad,” he said.

“Villarreal are quiet, we have no responsibility. We are responsible for our players, nothing more.

“On July 27th, we received a circular with all the players suspended, that reached all clubs. I’m not going to judge [Madrid president] Florentino [Perez]. We have outstanding people to control our sanctions, I don’t know what others have.

“We have [Tomas] Pina in the same situation, sanctioned in the same game and he has not played [against Huesca on Thursday]. We don’t have responsibility.”