Mansion Sports – The Spanish Football Federation has opened disciplinary proceedings against Barcelona after Atletico Madrid accused the Catalan club of repeatedly approaching their player, Julian Alvarez, over the past several months in an attempt to persuade him to leave the club.

Atletico Files an Official Complaint

Atletico had previously submitted an official complaint, and on Thursday both parties received notification that the case file had been officially opened. Both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid have the right to present their defense.

"Marca" reviewed the various severe sanctions that could potentially be imposed on Barcelona and the Argentine player.

Article 93 of the Spanish Football Federation's Disciplinary Code, which governs violations of federation regulations, allows for various types of sanctions in cases such as this.

Financial penalties are only the beginning. The parties involved may face sanctions in the form of a ban from football-related activities or suspension for between one month and two years, or a minimum four-match suspension, applicable to both club officials and players.

Barcelona Face a Ban on Registering New Players and a Three-Point Deduction

If the player is suspended after being found guilty of violating the regulations, he will be required to compensate his club for its inability to use his services during the suspension period.

Under that scenario, Atletico Madrid could still lose their player. However, that does not change their position.

The Madrid-based club remains determined to continue pursuing sanctions for what they consider to be violations they have reported for months, taking their complaint to both the Spanish Football Federation and FIFA.

The Spanish Football Federation has decided to open disciplinary proceedings. If the alleged facts are proven, the consequences could be extremely serious for both the Catalan club and the Argentine forward.

Barcelona could face sanctions including the full or partial closure of the club's facilities for up to three matches or two months, along with the possibility of a three-point deduction in the La Liga standings.

The sanctions could also be extended to include a ban preventing the Catalan club from registering new players during one or more transfer windows.