Bribery scandal overshadows Clásico: FC Barcelona is accused of this | Football

Precisely in the week of El Clásico, it is hardly about football in Spain. The legendary squatter in La Liga is overshadowed by the scandal surrounding FC Barcelona, ​​which would have bribed a referee boss for years. This is what we know about the controversial case.

Between 2001 and 2018, FC Barcelona transferred millions of euros to the then Vice-President of the Referee Commission in Spain. This is Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. The money, more than 7 million euros, went to two companies in his name. The dubious payments came to light last year thanks to an inspection by the Spanish tax authorities.

The Spanish judiciary suspects Barcelona of bribery and has charged the club. According to the judiciary, Barcelona concluded a secret agreement with Negreira. The referee boss received money if he ensured that referees favored the Catalan club in matches. The indictment focuses on payments made between 2014 and 2018.

Not only FC Barcelona has to fear a penalty. Former presidents Sandro Rosell (2010-2014) and Josep Maria Bartomeu (2014-2020) are also being prosecuted. The same goes for the former Barcelona directors Òscar Grau and Albert Soler and of course Negreira himself.

Barcelona confirms that the club has been transferring money to Negreira for years. The frontrunner in Spain says it has paid millions for outside advice. It would be “technical reports about referees”. According to the club, this is very common. Payments stopped in 2018. That is not entirely coincidental, because Negreira retired that year as vice-chairman of the referee committee. The former arbitrator has held that position since 1993.

Chairman Joan Laporta refers all allegations of corruption to the realm of fiction. In an emotional speech, the president said on Monday that Barcelona has fallen victim to people who want to damage the club. “There are fierce attacks that have nothing to do with reality,” said the Spaniard. Laporta was also president of Barcelona between 2003 and 2010, but has not been charged.

Supporters of Athletic Club threw these fake banknotes into the air during the game against FC Barcelona on Sunday. Photo: Getty Images

The scandal has meanwhile caused quite a stir in the Spanish football world. For example, Real Madrid added a splash of oil to the fire in the run-up to El Clásico. The board of the ‘Royal’ announced that it would legally support the charges against its rival and would “defend its own interests” if the case comes to court. La Liga president Javier Tebas called the dubious payments “abnormal”. “Football’s reputation is at stake,” he said.

Barcelona can also count on scorn from other clubs. Athletic Club supporters chanted “a segunda” (to the second division) on Sunday and threw fake banknotes in the air. It had the Barcelona logo and the word “MAFIA$” printed on it. Barcelona coach Xavi spoke of a “hostile atmosphere”. In the period that the payments were made to Negreira, the former midfielder won seven national titles with FC Barcelona as a player.

It is not yet clear whether and what punishment FC Barcelona is facing. At least we don’t have to look at La Liga. According to chairman Tebas, the competition organizer cannot do anything. “It has been five years since the last payment was made. There is a three-year statute of limitations on cases like this,” Tebas told Spanish media in February.

A Spanish judge can of course do something. At the moment it is still speculation whether and what punishment Barcelona will receive. The people who are prosecuted individually can be sentenced to years in prison.

In all the chaos, FC Barcelona is heading for the first national title since 2019. Frenkie de Jong’s team has nine points more than closest attacker Real Madrid and can hardly miss the championship with a win or a draw in the Clásico. The biggest challenge seems to be off the field in the remainder of the season, Laporta also knows. “We are going to prove that the club is innocent.”

FC Barcelona-Real Madrid

The squatter between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid starts on Sunday at 9 p.m. in Camp Nou. The two rivals will meet again on April 5, but this time in the semi-finals of the Copa del Rey. Barcelona won the first leg in Madrid 0-1.

The relationship between FC Barcelona and Real Madrid is extra sharp due to the bribery scandal surrounding the Catalan club. Photo: Getty Images

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