UEFA is examining new documents in the „Negreira“ case, handed over by Real Madrid. European football's headquarters confirmed that it had received „a significant amount of documents“ related to the ongoing investigation against Barcelona for payments to José María Henriquez Negreira, former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Spanish Football Federation.
The materials will be assessed by UEFA's ethics and disciplinary inspectors within the framework of the existing proceedings. The headquarters did not say whether the documents contain new evidence or what possible actions may follow.
Barcelona denied that it had opened a new procedure. „UEFA has not opened a new case against Barcelona. The procedure began in 2023 and has never been suspended," the club said. They added that UEFA's investigation depends on the outcome of the criminal case in Spain.
The case in Spain remains open
The Spanish proceedings concern payments from Barcelona to companies linked to Negreira and his son Javier. According to the indictment, the amount for the period 2001-2018 exceeds 7.3 million euros. Negreira held his leading position on the referees' committee until 2018.
On September 1, the judge in the case rejected Real Madrid's request, supported by the prosecutor's office, for a new six-month extension of the investigation. However, the proceedings were not suspended, as two witness interviews are due in November. Among those summoned are former Barcelona second-team player and coach Gerard Lopez and team delegate Antonio A.
The case involves the club itself, former presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, former executives, Negreira and his son. The bribery charge was dismissed after a court ruled that Negreira could not be classified as a public official under Spanish law. The investigation into alleged sports corruption, mismanagement and document falsification is ongoing.
How the dispute began
The case came to light in February 2023, when the radio program “Ke ti hi huges“ on “Cadena SER“ reported payments of approximately 1.4 million euros to the company DASNIL 95 between 2016 and 2018. Negreira was vice-president of the referees' committee at the time.
Barcelona said it had used an external consultant for video reports on young players and technical analysis of refereeing. Former president Josep Maria Bartomeu said the payments began at least in 2003 and ended in June 2018, when Negreira left the committee.
Current president Joan Laporta has rejected allegations of referee-buying. "It is false and absurd to think that we paid a referee," he said. Former president Bartomeu claims that Negreira's son was the one who prepared the referee reports.
La Liga president Javier Tebas described the relationship as a clear conflict of interest, but said that sporting sanctions could not be imposed because the three-year statute of limitations had expired. “Criminal jurisdiction is another matter“, Tebas said, leaving the decision on possible consequences to the prosecutor's office and the court.
The next important stage in the Spanish case is the questioning of witnesses in November. In parallel, UEFA will assess whether the materials sent by Real Madrid change the picture in the European procedure. No decision on a sporting sanction against Barcelona has been announced so far.
Sources: goal.com, as.com, aa.com.tr