REAL Madrid’s transfer ban was cut Tuesday, allowing the club to sign new players sooner than expected.

    The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) partially upheld Real’s appeal against FIFA, keeping the team barred from registering new players only in the January trading period. But the Spanish club can now sign new players in the offseason transfer period starting in June.

    FIFA had imposed a one-year transfer ban in January. Its appeal panel confirmed the sanction to take effect for 2017.

    Real must also pay FIFA a fine of 240,000 Swiss francs (US$233,000), reduced from 360,000 Swiss francs by the single judge who heard the case.

    “Considering that the infractions committed by Real Madrid were less serious and less numerous than argued by the FIFA judiciary bodies, the (judge) ruled that the sanctions imposed on Real Madrid had to be reduced,” the Lausanne-based court said in a statement.

    Still, the club — which on Sunday added the Club World Cup trophy to its UEFA Champions League title — complained about the verdict.

    “The decision highlights the injustice of the original ban imposed by FIFA, although the club regrets that the CAS lacked the courage to revoke the ruling entirely,” it said.

    The court gave an urgent ruling Tuesday and is expected to publish its full reasons soon.

    Real denied wrongdoing in signing young players from outside Spain who played in games since 2005.

    Barcelona served a one-year signing embargo in 2015, and Atletico Madrid is currently appealing its one-year ban at CAS.

    (SD-Agencies)