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The scandal Barcelona fear could see them kicked out of the Champions League
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The Negreira case in Spanish football took another turn recently after new evidence was submitted to UEFA by Real Madrid.
Barcelona have been instructed by a Spanish court to hand over all documentation concerning payments totalling €7 million that were made to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees.
The payments were made over a 17-year period, beginning in 2001 and continuing until 2018. However, the case became more complicated after investigators discovered that there was no available paper trail documenting the transactions. If such official records previously existed, they have since been lost.
The legal proceedings remain ongoing. On Thursday, UEFA also confirmed that Real Madrid had submitted additional evidence as part of the case, which will now be examined.
"UEFA can confirm that it has received from Real Madrid CF a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into FC Barcelona in the matter involving José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (the so-called 'Negreira matter')," a statement said.
"The UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have also received these latest documents which they will assess as part of their ongoing review."
Barcelona were quick to point out that, despite reports to the contrary, these documents did not catalyse a new investigation and that they are part of the ongoing investigation that has been happening since 2023.
The club said:
"In response to the reports published regarding the alleged reactivation of the UEFA proceedings in the Negreira case, FC Barcelona wishes to make the following clarifications:
"UEFA has not opened any new proceedings against FC Barcelona. The proceedings were initiated in 2023, with the appointment of two investigators who have since carried out the action they deemed appropriate. The Club has always complied with all their requests. These proceedings have not been reopened because they have never been closed.
"The UEFA statement confirms receipt of documentation submitted by Real Madrid and indicates that the investigators will assess it within the framework of the existing investigation. The same text expressly refers, on two occasions, to an investigation and a review that are “ongoing.” It therefore does not announce the opening, reopening, or reactivation of any proceedings, nor does it contain any assessment of the substance or value of the documentation provided.
"It is up to the investigators to determine what action, if any, they consider appropriate regarding this documentation. As of today, they have not made any new requests to FC Barcelona nor have they forwarded Real Madrid’s complaint to the Club. Should they do so, the Club will respond accordingly, as it has done up to now.
"In accordance with the applicable legislation governing this matter, these proceedings are subject to the outcome of the criminal case currently being heard in Spain and will continue to be so.
"Since the investigation began, FC Barcelona has continued to obtain its UEFA licence without objection and has participated in UEFA competitions."
In his Christmas address to Madrisistas last December, Real Madrid president Florentino Perez called the investigation "the most serious case" in football today.
Barcelona allege that the payments were made for consulting purposes as Negreira provided them with scouting reports on referees.
Barcelona are yet to face any punishment for Negreira as they have not been found guilty of any illegality as of yet. However, Marca speculated that UEFA could be within their rights to kick Barcelona out of the Champions League should illegaility be proved.
UEFA article 4.02 states:
"If, on the basis of all the factual circumstances and information available to UEFA, UEFA concludes to its comfortable satisfaction that a club has been directly and/or indirectly involved, at any time since 1 March 2016 (i.e. ten years before the entry into force of these regulations), in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level, UEFA will declare such club ineligible to participate in the competition. Such ineligibility is effective for only one football season. When taking its decision, UEFA can rely on, but is not bound by, the decision of a national or international sporting body, arbitral tribunal or state court. UEFA can refrain from declaring a club ineligible to participate in the competition if UEFA is comfortably satisfied that the impact of a decision taken in connection with the same factual circumstances by a national or international sporting body, arbitral tribunal or state court has already had the effect of preventing that club from participating in a UEFA club competition."
Real Madrid statement
Real Madrid confirmed the new evidence had been sent to UEFA in the hope that there can now be some kind of progress in the investigation, saying in a statement:
"In light of the communication issued today by UEFA regarding the so-called 'Negreira case,' Real Madrid C.F. states the following:
"UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid C.F. and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by F.C. Barcelona to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
"The complaint filed by our club includes extensive documentation and evidence regarding events of extraordinary seriousness, which directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system.
"Real Madrid C.F. considers it essential that, now that UEFA has this documentation, the investigation proceeds with the utmost urgency until its full conclusion, and that the competent bodies take the appropriate decisions in accordance with the severity of the verified facts.
"Our club will continue to actively collaborate with UEFA and take all actions within its power to clarify events that it deems incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency, and fair play that should govern European football."
