Barcelona has issued a response after Real Madrid submitted a significant amount of documentation to UEFA regarding the long-standing Negreira case. The Catalan club clarified that UEFA has not initiated any new disciplinary action against them.
On Thursday, UEFA announced that it had received documents from Real Madrid as part of its ongoing inquiry into Barcelona’s financial dealings with José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees in Spain.
UEFA explained that their Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have received the new materials, which will be reviewed as part of the existing investigation.
In a strongly worded statement, Real Madrid indicated that their complaint included extensive evidence that they believe raises serious concerns about the fairness of competition and the integrity of officiating. They urged UEFA to act swiftly and called for the appropriate authorities to respond to the seriousness of the situation.
Despite the buzz surrounding this latest development, Barcelona quickly countered the narrative, emphasizing that the UEFA investigation began in 2023 and that it has never been closed. The club stated, “UEFA has not opened any new proceedings against FC Barcelona.” They added that they have always complied with UEFA’s requests and emphasized that the current investigation is ongoing and not newly initiated.
Barcelona pointed out that UEFA’s announcement merely confirmed receipt of Real Madrid’s documents and that these will be evaluated within the framework of the existing investigation. They highlighted that no judgement has been made on the content or significance of the documents provided by Real Madrid. Barcelona also noted that there have been no new requests from UEFA directed at them regarding Real Madrid’s complaint.
### What Is the Negreira Case?
The Negreira case revolves around payments made by Barcelona to businesses associated with Negreira, who held a position in Spain’s refereeing committee. Between 2001 and 2018, Barcelona made payments totaling approximately €8.4 million. The club has consistently denied trying to influence refereeing decisions, asserting that the payments were intended for technical reports and referee analysis, rather than to gain a competitive advantage.
This ongoing saga has escalated tensions between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with Madrid repeatedly demanding thorough investigations and potential penalties if any wrongdoing is discovered. Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, has labeled the Negreira affair as the “biggest scandal in football history” and criticized Spanish football authorities for their response to the issue.
### Real Madrid Calls for Quick Action
Real Madrid maintains that their recent submission includes substantial documentation and evidence that they believe undermines the integrity of the sport and the refereeing system. They pushed for the investigation to proceed without delay and expressed their commitment to collaborating with UEFA throughout the process.
Reports suggest that Real Madrid has requested UEFA to consider imposing sanctions on Barcelona, which could include taking away the La Liga titles the club won during the time of the payments involved. This reported dossier is said to contain around 50,000 pages of information.
However, UEFA’s announcement did not indicate any new disciplinary measures against Barcelona and only confirmed that the documents will be evaluated by their Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors as part of the ongoing review.
### Barcelona’s Cooperation with UEFA
Barcelona reiterated their cooperation with UEFA, noting that the ongoing proceedings are contingent on the results of a criminal case currently being handled in Spain. Since the investigation commenced, the club has successfully maintained its UEFA license and continued to participate in European competitions.
As the tension continues between Spain’s biggest clubs, Real Madrid insists that the newly submitted documents necessitate urgent action, while Barcelona reiterates that there is no new case and that their focus remains on the ongoing investigation from 2023. The next steps will hinge on UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors as they review Real Madrid’s submissions concerning the Negreira matter.
