Real Madrid has submitted a substantial dossier to Uefa, detailing alleged irregularities in payments made by Barcelona to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of Spain's referees' committee. The dossier, reportedly over 50,000 pages long, contains evidence that Real Madrid claims directly affects the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system. This development is part of an ongoing investigation into allegations that Barcelona paid 8.4m euros (£7.2m) to Negreira between 2001 and 2018.
Barcelona has consistently denied any wrongdoing, stating that the payments to Negreira were for scouting and technical reports provided by him and his company, Dasnil 95. The club has emphasized that they have cooperated fully with investigators and will respond accordingly if Uefa makes any new requests. Uefa has described the dossier as substantial and says its ethics and disciplinary inspectors will assess it as part of their ongoing review.
The allegations against Barcelona center on claims that the payments to Negreira were used to bribe referees, which the club has strenuously denied. Real Madrid's submission of the dossier is a significant development in the case, with the club urging Uefa to progress the investigation quickly and take corresponding decisions based on the seriousness of the proven facts.
In response to Real Madrid's actions, Barcelona stated that Uefa had not opened any new proceedings against them. The club noted that the investigation initiated in 2023 was ongoing and that they had complied with all requests from investigators. Barcelona also highlighted that the case is subject to the outcome of criminal proceedings in Spain.
The case has been ongoing since 2023, with Uefa's investigators initially deciding not to impose any punishment on Barcelona. However, the investigation has continued, with a Barcelona court still examining the case. La Liga president Javier Tebas previously stated that the competition body could not take action due to the time elapsed, but noted that the case was not time-barred in criminal law.
Uefa's ethics and disciplinary inspectors will assess the dossier as part of their ongoing review. The governing body has not specified what actions it may take, but has indicated that it will consider the evidence presented. The case has significant implications for European football, particularly regarding the integrity of competitions and the role of referees.
The investigation's outcome may have far-reaching consequences for Barcelona and the wider football community. Real Madrid's actions have added a new layer of complexity to the case, which will likely continue to unfold in the coming months. Key stakeholders will be watching closely as Uefa and Spanish authorities work to resolve the matter.
Key points
- Real Madrid submits 50,000-page dossier to Uefa alleging irregular payments by Barcelona.
- Barcelona denies any wrongdoing and claims full cooperation with investigators.
- Uefa to assess the dossier as part of ongoing review of the case.
