Osasuna have filed an appeal with the Spanish football federation (RFEF) claiming Barcelona fielded an ineligible player in their recent LaLiga match. The club argues that defender Iñigo Martínez should not have been allowed to play in Barcelona's 3-0 victory on Thursday.
The controversy stems from Martínez withdrawing from Spain's Nations League squad due to a swollen right knee. Despite this medical absence from international duty, the defender played the full 90 minutes in Barcelona's win, which propelled the league leaders to a three-point advantage at the top of LaLiga.
In their statement, Osasuna cited specific FIFA regulations: "The club understands that the participation of Iñigo Martínez in yesterday's match violated article 5 of Annex I of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players," adding that the rule "specifies that a player who does not join or leaves his national team for medical reasons may not play matches for his club during the five calendar days following the end of the international period."
The match, originally scheduled for March 8, had been postponed following the death of Barcelona club doctor Carles Miñarro García. The rescheduled date of March 27 came just four days after Spain's international fixture, with officials claiming no other dates were available in the calendar.
Both clubs had previously requested further postponement of the fixture, but their appeals were rejected. Barcelona faced their own challenges, unable to field players like Brazilian forward Raphinha, who had just returned from international duty.
The situation could have significant implications as RFEF regulations state that if a club fields a player who does "not meet the requirements to participate," they shall forfeit the match with the opposition declared the winner. Such a decision would benefit Osasuna, currently sitting 14th in the table, six points clear of the relegation zone.
The RFEF's ruling on this matter could potentially impact Barcelona's pursuit of the LaLiga title, as they currently lead the standings following Thursday's victory.
