Real Madrid: Negreira Case Intensifies with New Revelations

Real Madrid remains steadfast in its pursuit of justice in the Negreira case, intensifying its campaign against FC Barcelona‘s controversial payments to former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), José María Negreira. The club has announced plans to submit a request to the court to include a contradictory statement made by Barcelona president Joan Laporta in 2009, which could significantly impact the ongoing investigation.

Between 2001 and 2008, Barcelona reportedly paid Negreira a staggering €7.3 million, purportedly for technical reports on referees. However, Laporta previously claimed that the club had no financial ties to the refereeing system, stating, “We respect the institution and the structure of refereeing; they do their job well.” This assertion starkly contradicts his current defense that these payments were for useful arbitration reports.

Inconsistencies in Payments

The investigation has revealed troubling inconsistencies regarding the nature of these payments. Some invoices suggest that payments were made for services beyond just arbitration analysis. For instance, in 2005, Barcelona paid €60,900 for aloe vera gift packages. Furthermore, transactions were funneled through various companies, including one registered under Negreira’s son for training fees and another linked to former Barça executive Josep Contreras for renovation work.

Questionable Timing of Transactions

Documents obtained by journalist Ramon Alvarez de Mon highlight payments made for match recordings and action selections from major international competitions between 2010 and 2018. These included sums ranging from €90,750 to €145,200 for events like the 2010, 2014, and 2018 World Cups and Euro tournaments. Alarmingly, many of these transactions occurred before the respective tournaments even began, raising questions about their legitimacy.

For example, Barcelona’s payment of €90,750 on June 4, 2016, for Euro 2016 match recordings came just days before the tournament started. This pattern continued with similar payments made ahead of other major competitions. Such discrepancies suggest that Barcelona may have sought specific referee-related sequences—like offside calls or penalty decisions—through video analysis that should not have been possible for unplayed matches.

The implications of these findings are profound. If proven true, they could indicate a significant conflict of interest involving Barcelona’s dealings with Negreira. As Real Madrid pushes forward with its legal strategy, this case promises to reshape the landscape of Spanish football governance.

As this scandal unfolds, one must wonder: how will it affect both clubs’ legacies? With mounting evidence and public scrutiny, the ramifications could be historic.