Real Madrid´s Carvajal faces UEFA investigation over APOEL booking

Dani Carvajal is facing a UEFA investigation after the defender was shown a yellow card late in Real Madrid’s Champions League win over APOEL on Tuesday.

Carvajal delayed a throw-in during stoppage time at the end of Madrid’s 6-0 demolition, with referee Artur Dias Soares showing the full-back the only yellow card of the game.

The UEFA Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body now plans to investigate the incident to examine whether Carvajal was guilty of breaching Article 15 of its Disciplinary Regulations by “receiving a yellow card on purpose”.

Carvajal’s booking, his third of this season’s Champions League, means he would be ruled out of Madrid’s matchday six clash with Borussia Dortmund through suspension, freeing him to return for the knockout rounds.

But should UEFA opt to punish the 25-year-old over the incident, Carvajal could be handed a two-game ban, with Madrid already having guaranteed their qualification from Group H.

In the 2010-11 Champions League, then-Madrid coach Jose Mourinho and the club’s players Sergio Ramos and Xabi Alonso were charged over alleged deliberate yellow cards.

However, Barcelona centre-back Gerard Pique escaped punishment when he was investigated over a yellow card he received in a Champions League game against Arsenal in February 2016.