Spanish football is shaking. In any case, the Negreira affair directly threatens the future… and the past of FC Barcelona. Especially since the decision on Friday by the Barcelona public prosecutor’s office to initiate proceedings once morest the Catalan club as a legal person, but also once morest former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, at the head of the club between 2014 and 2020. , as well as Sandro Rosell, Chairman between 2010 and 2014.
Seized by the tax authorities on possible irregularities in the payment of taxes by a company belonging to Enriquez Negreira, the prosecution had opened a preliminary investigation in the spring of 2022 in order to verify the reason and the framework for these payments of money. Barça would have paid a total of more than 7.3 million euros to José Maria Enriquez Negreira, former referee and ex-vice president of the technical arbitration committee of the Spanish football federation between 1994 and 2018.
If these accusations were to be verified, Barça would be threatened with losing the titles acquired during the period in question and with being excluded from future competitions. Barca and Mr Negreira, however, have denied any irregularities. President Joan Laporta also wanted to reassure the socios this Sunday. “Stay calm. Barça are innocent of what they are accused of and the victim of a campaign once morest their honor in which everyone is now involved.
Just before this reaction, Real Madrid had decided to get involved. President Florentino Perez convened his board of directors urgently this Sunday noon to finally announce that “To defend its legitimate interests, Real Madrid will ask to be part of the investigation procedure when the judge opens it to injured parties.”