Elche could be knocked out of the Copa del Rey for an ineligible lineup

Elche C.F.

The Elche classification for the next round of the Copa del Rey, achieved with a 1-3 win over Pinatar, has been clouded by a disciplinary twist. According to TodoAlicante, Ezequiel Ponce appearing in the match could be subject to review due to an earlier sending off in this same competition.

The incident dates back to January 3, 2023, in the Ceuta-Elche round of 16 tie. That day, the Elche side lost 1-0 at Alfonso Murube, with a penalty goal by Rodri, and Ponce was sent off for a second yellow card around the hour mark after an incident involving Macías. With Elche eliminated that same night, any sanction stemming from that red card was not served in a later round.

The question now is whether that punishment was extinguished, overturned, or remained in force when the Argentine forward returned to play in the Copa. In the match against Pinatar, Ponce started and scored Elche's first two goals, in the 32nd and 54th minutes, before Ali Houary sealed the 1-3 in the closing stages.

No official ruling yet

TodoAlicante cites several articles of the RFEF Disciplinary Code, including the one relating to an ineligible lineup, and sets the ordinary appeal deadline at around 14:00 on Wednesday, October 28. However, for now, there is no formal appeal from Pinatar and no federative ruling on the case.

So the confirmed scenario is that Elche appears to have qualified for the next knockout stage, while the possible incident remains, for the moment, in the realm of speculation. The issue is important for the franjiverde club due to its continued participation in the tournament, and also for Ponce, the sporting figure behind the tie's passage with a brace.

Fantasy reading: in the absence of an official decision, there are no confirmed consequences for LaLiga Fantasy. The brace does strengthen Ponce's competitive image, but any disciplinary or sporting impact beyond the Copa would depend on a ruling that, for now, has not been issued.