Osasuna lashes out at the RFEF for denying Iñigo Martínez's improper lineup

Club Atlético Osasuna issued a harsh statement criticizing the dismissal of their complaint of improper alignment of Iñigo Martínez by the Disciplinary Committee of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). The Navarre team insists that the FC Barcelona center-back was not authorized to play in the match of matchday 27 of LaLiga, rescheduled for Thursday, March 27 in Montjuïc (3-0 in favor of the 'culés'), for allegedly not having complied with the established deadline for a player discharged by his national team after a FIFA date (five days).

The Basque player dropped out of the Spain squad for the UEFA Nations League quarter-final tie against the Netherlands due to an internal parameniscitis of the right knee. In principle, the Barça's medical report did not specify the length of absence, as it was a minor injury. Different was the report of Marc Casadó, out for around two months after suffering a ligament injury to his right knee that, almost certainly, will prevent him from playing again this season.

Osasuna questions the legality of Iñigo's medical report

The National Team and the RFEF gave the green light to the Azulgrana's medical report, so both players did not have to go to the Ciudad Deportiva de Las Rozas to perform other complementary tests. In contrast, Osasuna did send Bryan Zaragoza to the headquarters of La Roja, who was also removed from Luis de la Fuente's squad due to a muscle injury from which no further details were leaked, although his time off was estimated at around 3 weeks.

However, the 'rojillos' allege that Barça breached the regulations, first, by sending a medical report immediately after the match against Atlético de Madrid (Sunday, March 16 at 21:00), where Iñigo suffered the injury. The Azulgrana team sent the tests performed on the center-back in the early hours of Monday 17 and the National Team confirmed his absence that same day.

"There is not even mention in the file or in the resolution of Competition that these tests, which are requested by the Head of the Medical Services of the RFEF himself, have been carried out. Nor does the medical report contain any detail", Osasuna states in its statement. In addition, the club implies that the injury may have been an excuse not to travel with La Roja, due to its "meteoric recovery" during the international break.

Similarly, those from Pamplona criticize the RFEF for "allowing players to leave the concentration without imposing any type of limitation on them", something that is not contemplated by FIFA. Osasuna's claim was based on article 5 of Annex 1 of the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of FIFA Players, which prohibits a player from playing matches with his club during the period of release with his national team, plus an additional margin of five days, unless the corresponding federation authorizes it. However, in the case of Iñigo, there was no formal authorization, he was only discharged with La Roja.

Iñigo Martínez responded to Osasuna's criticisms

Beyond the claims of the team led by Vicente Moreno, along with their decision to file an appeal to the Appeal Committee of the RFEF, Iñigo Martínez himself referred to the controversy in a chat with 'Movistar+'. "If one is not well, it is better to step aside", he began by saying about his absence with Spain. In addition, he gave as an example the match against Betis, where he was also absent as a precaution. "These are situations, small injuries that prevent you from playing matches. The work of the medical service is also there", the Azulgrana defender pointed out.