Sebastien Haller blocked from playing in Europa League after Ajax forget to register record signing and Uefa deny appeal
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SEBASTIEN HALLER has been BLOCKED from playing in the Europa League knockout stages after Uefa denied Ajax's appeal.
Earlier this week, the Dutch giants confirmed they'd accidentally left their club-record signing off their 25-man squad list.
Despite forgetting to register Haller, the club did remember to add deadline-day loan signing Oussama Idrissi to the 25-man group.
Ajax quickly lodged an appeal with Uefa after realising their Haller gaffe in a bid to add him to their group.
However, their request has been officially denied.
The Eredivisie leaders will now be forced to play their last-32 tie against Lille last this month without the former West Ham striker.
A club statement read: "Uefa has informed Ajax that winter purchase Sebastien Haller will definitely not be available in the Europa League for the rest of the 2020-21 season.
"Due to an administrative error at Ajax, the striker was not registered on the list of players for the Europa League, which had to be submitted no later than Tuesday 2 February.
"The player who came to Ajax from West Ham United on January 8, can be used in Eredivisie and cup matches.
"Despite attempts to get Haller eligible to play, the club received a final message from Uefa on Thursday evening that Haller will not be added after all.
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"Oussama Idrissi, the other attacker who came to Ajax in the last transfer window, can be used in the Europa League."
Ajax landed the striker for £22million in the January window.
Despite largely struggling in England, Haller has made an instant impact at Ajax, scoring two goals and adding a further four assists in his first six appearances.
After the winter window closed, Ajax submitted their new 25-man squad list for the Europa League to Uefa.
But eyebrows were raised when Haller's name was nowhere to be seen.
With fans taking to social media to question his absence, Ajax were forced to admit the mistake with a statement.
A club spokesman told "It is indeed true that Haller is not on our Europa League list of players.
"We are working with the KNVB and Uefa to find out where things went wrong.”
Ajax's miserable week was compounded on Friday morning by the news star goalkeeper Andre Onana will be banned for a YEAR.
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The Cameroon stopper, 24, tested positive for a banned substance - with player and club blaming his partner's prescription medication.
Onana claims he believed he was taking an aspirin while feeling under the weather and plans to appeal.