Barcelona have been stuck in a rather controversial refereeing scandal involving the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, Enrique Negreira.
Leaked documents have stated that the club were paying Negreira, which has translated into speculation of buying referees and corruption. Multiple Spanish clubs, including Real Madrid, have decided to appear against Barça in the court case.
While club president Joan Laporta has denied these time and again, saying that it is nothing more than defamation and an attempt to destabilise Barcelona.
Meanwhile, old comments from Negreira have resurfaced, where he has clarified that Barcelona never paid referees, or used him to get favourable decisions.
“Everyting that has been said is wrong. I never paid a referee, Barça never did, either,” he said, as relayed by COPE.
“Barcelona considered that the team was harmed and that the other teams were favoured. the club wanted to make sure that no deciiosnw ere made particularly against them to guarantee that everything was neutral. All I did was give advice, my opinion.”
Negreira went on to talk about Josep Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, who are considered the main culprits on this scandal.
“I saw Rosell and Bartomeu maybe six times a year, so they could be calm that the refereeing in La Liga was neutral, that Barcelona would not be particularly harmed by the refereeing committee.”
The court case is set to go on across the year, with the likes of Ernesto Valverde, Bartomeu, and Luis Enrique. Laporta has assured, though, that Barcelona are innocent and that serious action will be taken against the parties responsible for defaming the club.
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