The Spanish Football Federation has begun legal steps to defend Barcelona midfielder Gavi, after FIFA opened an investigation into him over the events that followed the World Cup final, in which Spain were crowned champions after beating Argentina following extra time.
According to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", the Federation are racing to prepare the appeal brief before next Tuesday's deadline. They want to overturn any possible sanction against the player, who risks a suspension of at least one match if he is found guilty of unsporting behaviour under FIFA's disciplinary regulations.
Their defence rests on a simple argument: Gavi was not the aggressor. He was the victim of an assault by Argentina's Leandro Paredes. Match footage, the Federation stress, shows the Barcelona player being pushed and falling during the clashes that broke out after the final whistle.
It all started with an altercation between Paredes and Spain defender Eric García. The Argentine violently shoved his opponent, and Gavi stepped in to protest. From there the situation escalated amid scuffles between both sets of players, ending with Paredes being sent off.
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Spain are also weighing up a recent disciplinary precedent. American forward Folarin Balogun was suspended for one match during the World Cup, before FIFA decided to suspend the enforcement of the sanction for a year.
Should the charge not be dropped entirely, the Federation hope Gavi receives the same treatment.
FIFA's disciplinary committee had opened an investigation into a number of those involved in the post-final events. The decision took in the Argentines Leandro Paredes, Nahuel Molina, Thiago Almada and Roberto Ayala, a member of the coaching staff, along with Gavi.
Paredes, Molina and Ayala face charges of assault. Gavi, Almada and Molina face a charge of unsporting behaviour, with the case to be settled once the parties concerned submit their briefs.