Osasuna are carefully weighing their options after reports surfaced that Barcelona may have fielded an ineligible player during Thursday night’s La Liga encounter. Hansi Flick’s squad cruised to a dominant 3-0 home victory, with Ferran Torres, Dani Olmo, and Robert Lewandowski all getting on the scoresheet. The win ensured that La Blaugrana maintained their three-point lead at the top of the table, keeping them ahead of their long-time rivals, Real Madrid, as the season reaches its business end.
However, their hard-fought triumph could now be in serious jeopardy following revelations that Inigo Martínez may not have been eligible to feature at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys. If the allegations are confirmed, and depending on how RFEF and FIFA intrepret the situation, Barcelona could face significant consequences, with possible repercussions including forfeiting the match entirely and consequently losing the three crucial points by default.
Why Barcelona Could Be Punished For Ineligible Player
It’s all down to a little-known rule
According to FIFA rules, a player who withdraws from international duty due to injury can’t play for his club for five days after the last game of the international break. In this case, Spain played their last match on March 23, meaning Martinez only rested for four days before returning to action.
Martínez, 33, missed out on Spain’s squad because of a knee issue he picked up in a match against Atletico Madrid. Luis de la Fuente replaced him with Dean Huijsen. However, the defender continued his recovery in Barcelona and was back in training on Monday before starting against Osasuna.
According to beIN Sports, Osasuna has put its legal team on the case to see if they have grounds for an official complaint to the RFEF. Whether punishment is carried out or not depends on how FIFA and the RFEF interpret the defender’s situation. While Osasuna considers its next move, Barcelona is confident that the Federation’s approval will keep them out of trouble.