Barcelona: Osasuna launch appeal claiming Inigo Martinez was ineligible for LaLiga clash | OneFootball

Osasuna adamant defender should not have played in rescheduled fixture after withdrawing from Spain duty through injury

Osasuna have claimed that Barcelona fielded an ineligible player during their rescheduled LaLiga match.

The two sides played at Barca’s temporary home of the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Thursday night, with the hosts comfortably winning 3-0 after goals from Ferran Torres and Robert Lewandowski that came either side of a Dani Olmo penalty.

The result saw Hansi Flick’s side - missing the in-form Raphinha as he travelled back from Brazil duty - go three points clear of fierce rivals Real Madrid with 10 matches left to play in a three-way title battle that also includes Atletico Madrid as they extended their unbeaten run to 19 matches across all competitions, with Osasuna sitting 14th and six points clear of the relegation zone.

The match had originally been due to take place on March 8, only to be postponed following the death of Barcelona’s team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia. The club’s packed schedule meant that the unusual step had to be taken of rearranging the fixture for just one day after the end of the international window.

Now a row has erupted over Inigo Martinez’s involvement in the rescheduled game against Osasuna, with the defender having on March 17 pulled out of the Spain squad for their Nations League quarter-final double-header against the Netherlands with a knee injury.

Osasuna claim his participation violated FIFA’s rules stating that, unless they have permission from the relevant national FA, players who withdraw from international duty due to injury cannot play for their clubs within five days of the end of the international period. Martinez played the full 90 minutes of the 3-0 win.

Young trio Gerard Martin, Pablo Torre and Fermin Lopez all came off the bench for Barca against Osasuna, but their early withdrawals from Spain Under-21 duty were not injury-related.

“Club Atlético Osasuna has filed an appeal with the Competition Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), claiming that FC Barcelona fielded an ineligible player yesterday at Lluís Companys Stadium,” Osasuna said in a statement on Friday.

“The club argues that defender Iñigo Martínez's participation violated Article 5 of Annex I of FIFA's Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players. The regulation states that any player who withdraws from their national team squad due to medical reasons - or leaves camp for the same reason - cannot play for their club within five days of the end of the international period.

“On March 17, the RFEF announced that Martínez had been withdrawn from Spain's squad due to medical reasons, citing "internal parameniscitis in his right knee," as stated in a report from FC Barcelona. That same day, midfielder Marc Casadó and forward Bryan Zaragoza were also ruled out of the national team due to medical issues. However, only Zaragoza joined the squad for evaluation by Spain's medical staff.

“According to FIFA's regulations, Osasuna asserts that none of these players were eligible to compete in yesterday's LaLiga EA Sports matchday 27 fixture, as the mandatory waiting period had not been fulfilled.

“Since the RFEF itself confirmed Martínez's absence was due to a medical condition, Osasuna contends that no exceptional circumstances apply that would override FIFA's regulations. The club distinguishes this case from the release of defender Gerard Martín and midfielders Pablo Torre and Fermín López from Spain's U-21 squad, as their withdrawals were not medically related.

“Osasuna maintains that Martínez, who was ruled out of the Spanish squad due to medical reasons, was ineligible to play in yesterday's match. Consequently, the club has filed an appeal, citing its commitment to defending its rights, upholding fair competition, and ensuring equal conditions for all participants.”

Barcelona - who have still not lost a single game in 2025 - have yet to respond publicly to the appeal from Osasuna.

They play seven games in the space of just 20 days with their LaLiga title push coinciding with progress into the Champions League quarter-finals and Copa del Rey semi-finals. Sunday’s home match against Girona comes just 64 hours after the end of the Osasuna game.

Flick and Barcelona’s players lamented the timing of their rescheduled meeting with Osasuna, with Olmo now facing three weeks on the sidelines with an adductor injury suffered on Thursday night.