UEFA has confirmed that it has received a substantial amount of documentation from Real Madrid relating to its ongoing investigation into FC Barcelona and the long-running Negreira case.
The development comes after Real Madrid submitted a complaint and supporting material concerning payments made by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (CTA).
Importantly, UEFA’s statement does not announce the opening of a new investigation. UEFA says the documents will be assessed by its Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors as part of the existing review.
UEFA’s statementUEFA said:
“UEFA can confirm that it has received from Real Madrid CF a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into FC Barcelona in the matter involving Negreira, former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (the so-called “Negreira case”).
UEFA’s Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have also received these latest documents, which they will assess as part of their ongoing review of the case.”
The European governing body had already appointed Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors in March 2023 to investigate a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework in connection with the Negreira matter.
Real Madrid’s Response
Following UEFA’s confirmation, Real Madrid issued a statement explaining its position and stressing the significance it attaches to the documentation submitted.
The club said:
“In light of the communication issued today by UEFA regarding the so-called ‘Negreira case,’ Real Madrid C.F. states the following:UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid C.F. and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by F.C. Barcelona to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
The complaint filed by our club includes extensive documentation and evidence regarding events of extraordinary seriousness, which directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system.
Real Madrid C.F. considers it essential that, now that UEFA has this documentation, the investigation proceeds with the utmost urgency until its full conclusion, and that the competent bodies take the appropriate decisions in accordance with the severity of the verified facts.Our club will continue to actively collaborate with UEFA and take all actions within its power to clarify events that it deems incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency, and fair play that should govern European football.”
Barcelona Responds
Barcelona, however, has sought to clarify that UEFA has not reopened or reactivated proceedings against the club.In its official statement, Barcelona said:
“UEFA has not opened any new proceedings against FC Barcelona. The proceedings were initiated in 2023, with the appointment of two investigators who have since carried out the action they deemed appropriate.
The Club has always complied with all their requests. These proceedings have not been reopened because they have never been closed.”
The club added that UEFA’s statement merely confirms receipt of Real Madrid’s documentation and that investigators will decide what action, if any, should follow.
Barcelona also said it had not received any new request from UEFA or a copy of Real Madrid’s complaint.
Barcelona further stated:
“In accordance with the applicable legislation governing this matter, these proceedings are subject to the outcome of the criminal case currently being heard in Spain and will continue to be so.”
What is the Negreira case?
The Negreira case centres on payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to José María Enríquez Negreira during his time as vice-president of the CTA.
Spanish prosecutors brought allegations concerning sports corruption, unfair administration and falsification of commercial documents.
Barcelona has consistently denied that the payments were intended to influence refereeing and has maintained that the money was for technical reports and consultancy services relating to refereeing. The club has also said it is cooperating with the judicial process.
In late September, TS Sports reported that Barcelona had taken legal action against Real Madrid following the club’s president Florentino Perez’s defamatory charges regarding the Negreira Case.
The latest UEFA development therefore adds another chapter to a case that remains subject to both domestic judicial proceedings in Spain and UEFA’s ongoing review.For now, UEFA has confirmed receipt of Real Madrid’s material, but no new UEFA proceedings have been announced and no conclusion has been reached on the substance of the documents.
Comments are moderated before appearing.