Osasuna Appeals Barcelona 3-0 Win Over Inigo Martínez's Eligibility

Osasuna has lodged an appeal with the Spanish football federation (RFEF) following Barcelona's 3-0 win on March 27. The club contends that defender Iñigo Martínez, who missed Spain's Nations League matches due to a knee injury and was withdrawn on March 17, should not have been eligible to play just four days later. Osasuna argues this breaches FIFA regulation article 5 of Annex I, which mandates a five-day absence from club matches after a player is declared medically unfit for national duty.

The fixture, rescheduled from March 8 because of the death of a Barcelona club doctor, added further complexity to an already contentious situation. While Barcelona insists that a subsequent medical report cleared Martínez for club action, Osasuna maintains that the strict timeline of eligibility was violated. The appeal now awaits review from the RFEF's Competition Committee, with the club seeking redress amid their fight to stay clear of the relegation zone.