How introducing Fermín López could have forced Barcelona & Xavi to forfeit Copa quarter-final

A fresh insight into the bizarre ruling which prevented Barcelona boss Xavi from introducing Fermín López off the bench in the club’s recent meeting with Athletic Club has been provided.

The subject of Xavi’s personnel choices, of course, took its place centre stage in the post-match chatter once more this week.

This came after the Spaniard was the target of heavy criticism, for his substitutions late in Barca’s Copa del Rey quarter-final meeting with the aforementioned Athletic.

En route to an eventual 4-2 defeat in San Sebastian, Xavi opted to introduce Sergi Roberto for Pedri deep into extra-time.

The former badly struggled across his ensuing 20 minutes of action, playing a direct hand in the hosts’ go-ahead third goal.

With highly-regarded youngster Fermín López left to watch on from the bench, many of a Blaugrana persuasion consequently took aim at their side’s headmaster, in frankly ruthless fashion.

If the latest word stemming from the media is anything to go by, however, then such fans may owe Xavi an apology.

This comes amid confirmation that the 44-year-old was essentially left with no choice but to leave Fermín off.

As per a report from Mundo Deportivo, a frankly bizarre Copa del Rey regulation tied Xavi’s hands.

The rule in question dictates that a minimum of seven senior players must take their place on the pitch at any one time for any competing club.

At the time of Roberto’s introduction, Barca already had all of Lamine Yamal, Héctor Fort, and Pau Cubarsí lining out for them.

This means that, if the visitors had opted to throw on Fermín instead of Roberto at San Mamés, and one of Xavi’s senior players had subsequently been shown a red card, Barcelona would have automatically forfeited the tie.

With a midfielder having been required with Pedri in need of replacing, and Oriol Romeu continuing to struggle at present, Roberto was therefore his manager’s only real option.

Conor Laird | GSFN