Barcelona’s convincing 3-0 victory over Osasuna in late March seemed, at the time, like a routine La Liga fixture. But weeks later, that night at Montjuic has come under scrutiny—not for the soccer played, but for one name on the team sheet. Accusations have surfaced that Inigo Martinez, the 33-year-old centre-back, should not have been eligible to play, raising questions that now ripple through the corridors of Spanish soccer’s governing bodies.
At the heart of the controversy lies a rule buried in FIFA’s medical regulations: players who withdraw from international duty due to injury are barred from playing for their clubs within five days of the final international match. The case of Martinez, who had been called up by Spain but subsequently withdrawn due to a knock picked up in Barcelona’s final league game before the break, triggered alarm bells when he started against Osasuna just four days after Spain’s final Nations League match against the Netherlands.
Barcelona’s match against Osasuna was rescheduled for Thursday, March 28—a date that proved to be one day short of FIFA’s mandated five-day rest window. Despite knowing the potential implications, Barcelona fielded the Spaniard anyway. The defender played a crucial role in helping the team keep a clean sheet that evening, drawing praise from manager Hansi Flick, who said he had “adapted brilliantly to our ideas and demonstrated his value on the pitch.”
The Catalan club made the decision after consulting with their legal team, banking on a regulatory loophole: if a national team releases a player, the five-day restriction does not apply. According to Mundo Deportivo, the Blaugrana argued that Martinez’s withdrawal was coordinated and approved by Spain’s coaching staff—meaning the regulation should not apply in this case.
“If players are released by the international team, then the five-day limit does not apply,” the club cited in its defense.
RFEF rules in Barcelona’s favor—but the story isn’t over
After reviewing the situation, the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) ruled in favor of Barcelona. There will be no punishment, no overturned result, and no sanction for the Blaugrana, despite the formal complaint submitted by Osasuna, Mundo Deportivo has confirmed.
But Osasuna, furious with the decision, isn’t ready to let the matter rest. In an official club statement, they confirmed they will appeal the decision, citing what they see as glaring irregularities and a troubling lack of transparency.
“There was no express communication from the Spanish national team to forego the regulation,” Osasuna said. “Nor was there any medical report submitted. The only communication referenced was an email from Barcelona sent at 02:33 on March 17, without any medical documents attached.”
The club added that Martinez was not examined by Spanish national team doctors, unlike Osasuna’s own player Bryan Zaragoza, who was required to present himself at Las Rozas for assessment.
