The longstanding rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona has taken a dramatic turn off the pitch, as tensions escalate over a high-profile legal battle.
The controversy, which has gripped Spanish football for years, centers on allegations of corruption and fraud, with several La Liga clubs, including Los Blancos, closely monitoring developments.
As Barcelona prepares to face Real Oviedo in their latest La Liga clash, the shadow of this case looms large, threatening to reshape the dynamics of Spain’s footballing giants.
At the heart of the issue is the Negreira case, where Barcelona is accused of making €7.5 million in payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, former Vice-President of the Referees Committee, between 2001 and 2018.
Real Madrid, per Marca, are pushing for the harshest possible sanctions against their rivals, believing the payments point to a broader culture of bias in Spanish football.
The Catalan club insists the payments were for legitimate consultancy work, specifically referee performance reports, but Real Madrid is unconvinced and is prepared to escalate the matter to FIFA once court proceedings conclude.
Their media outlet, Real Madrid TV, has been highlighting perceived refereeing disparities, fueling the narrative of unfair treatment.
The case spans multiple Barcelona presidencies, including those of Joan Gaspart, Sandro Rosell, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Joan Laporta.
However, Real Madrid’s focus is primarily on Rosell, Bartomeu, and former executive Alvaro Soler, who later influenced a statute of limitations change in 2021.
This adjustment, reducing the legal timeframe to five years, has raised suspicions at the Bernabeu.
Meanwhile, Rosell has pointed out that several Referees Committee presidents were self-proclaimed Real Madrid supporters, adding fuel to the fire.
Despite the legal battle, the relationship between Real Madrid’s Florentino Perez and Barcelona’s Joan Laporta remains complex, with both presidents aligning on issues like the Superleague.
Perez’s silence on the Negreira case at last year’s General Assembly suggests a delicate balance.
As the case unfolds, its outcome could have far-reaching implications for Barcelona and the future of Spanish football’s integrity.
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