BREAKING: Inigo Martinez Not Eligible To Play For Barcelona
Osasuna have formally lodged a complaint with the Royal Spanish Football Federation, asserting that Barcelona defender, Inigo Martinez was ineligible to participate in their recent match on Thursday evening.
Inigo Martinez did not join the Spain national team for the latest international break due to a persistent knee injury. According to FIFA regulations, a player is prohibited from competing for their club within five days of a national team call-up if they have failed to report for duty—unless they have received explicit permission from their national football association.
The match, in which Barcelona defeated Osasuna 3-0, was rescheduled from its original date of March 8 following the tragic passing of the club physician, Carles Minarro Garcia. This encounter occurred the day after the conclusion of the international window and just four days following Spain’s Nations League clash against the Netherlands, where Martinez had been absent due to his injury.
Martinez played the full 90 minutes in Barcelona’s victory against Osasuna.
In response to the situation, the club issued an official statement: “Club Atletico Osasuna firmly believes that Inigo Martinez, who was unable to join the Spanish national team because of medical reasons, was not eligible to play in yesterday’s match in line with FIFA regulations. In light of this, the Navarrese club has taken the decision to file an appeal regarding improper fielding, in defence of its rights, the integrity of the competition, and to ensure fairness for all participating teams.”
Further complicating matters for Barcelona, midfielder Dani Olmo has been sidelined for three weeks due to a right adductor injury he sustained during the match against Osasuna.
The 26-year-old, who performed admirably in both matches for Spain against the Dutch, notably scored a penalty in the 3-0 victory before being substituted in the first half due to his injury.
Additionally, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has publicly expressed his dissatisfaction with the timing of the rescheduled fixture, highlighting that key player Raphinha was unavailable after returning from international duty with Brazil, where he made a significant contribution during their matches. The combination of these factors has raised concerns regarding player fitness and the overall scheduling of matches within the league context.
