The scandal triggered by the “Negreira affair” is far from over in Spain. Barcelona justice announced Friday the indictment for corruption of several former leaders of FC Barcelona. The ex-presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu (2015-2020), Sandro Rosell (2010-2014) and Barça as a legal entity are concerned. But also the former referee José Maria Enriquez Negreira.
He would have received, via his company, more than six million euros from the Catalan club between 2001 and 2018. In exchange, the former vice-president of the technical committee of referees offered “verbal advice” to FC Barcelona. The charges against the defendants are heavy: “corruption”, “breach of trust” and “false business records”, announced the Barcelona court.
“Let it be clear that Barça never bought a referee nor intended to buy referees. Absolutely never, ”said Joan Laporta, current club president, on Tuesday. Already at the head of FC Barcelona between 2003 and 2010, the Catalan is not one of the accused.
New legal file for Barça
The revelation of this case caused a media storm in Spain in February. La Liga president Javier Tebas has openly expressed his intention to help the justice system solve this investigation. “The damage caused to professional football is considerable. I explained what La Liga is going to do. Among other things, we wrote a letter to the prosecutor’s office with information that can help the investigation,” he explained in an interview for Brand et AS.
This is not the first time that FC Barcelona and its leaders have been in trouble with the law. In January 2014, Sandro Rosell resigned as president after the opening of an investigation into the transfer of Neymar. In January 2022, the Barcelona public prosecutor’s office opened an investigation into Josep Maria Bartomeu’s tenure.
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