Massive setback for Real Madrid

Fifa on Thursday dismissed appeals by Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid against a ban on registering new players in the next two transfer windows for irregularities in the signing of foreign players under 18.

"The Fifa Appeal Committee has decided to reject the appeals lodged by Spanish clubs Atletico de Madrid and Real Madrid and to confirm in their entirety the decisions rendered by the Fifa Disciplinary Committee in the respective cases relating to the protection of minors," Fifa said in a statement.

Both clubs were sanctioned in January, but by appealing had temporarily suspended the ban during the transfer window which closed last month. They will now not be able to register any new players in either of the next two windows.