"It is disrespectful to doubt Inigo Martinez"

Unai Simon, Athletic Club's international goalkeeper, assured that anyone who doubts Inigo Martinez, absent through injury against the Netherlands after being called up by Luis de la Fuente to return to the national team, commits "a lack of respect for the player" and for "Barcelona's medical services."

"I haven't spoken to him but it seems wrong to doubt a player like Inigo Martinez," Unai Simon defended his former Athletic Club and Spain team-mate.

"If the club has issued a medical report saying that he is injured, it is disrespectful to ignore the player and embarrass Barcelona's medical staff. He really wanted to come here and he couldn't because of the injury he has. It's a lack of respect that a team-mate doesn't deserve", he added.

However, Unai Simon believes that it is a good thing that players who are called up by Luis de la Fuente always come to the national team's training camp at the Ciudad del Futbol to be checked by the doctors.

"It's always good that players who are with certain problems, which are often from a day before, should come to the national team because sometimes they can be solved and they could play the second leg in Valencia," he said.

"But we have to prioritise the health of the players. If there is a small risk of relapse, you have to stay at home, recover and be ready to hopefully play in the Nations League finals in June," he concluded.