Barcelona ex-presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu refuting charges they face in the Negreira case
The "Negreira case" investigation, which began following a tax office seizure of possible irregularities, has caused a significant impact on the Spanish football world. The Spanish prosecution opened a preliminary investigation in the spring of 2022, focusing on alleged payments totaling over €7.3 million made to José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.
At the heart of the investigation are Sandro Rosell, former president of FC Barcelona (2010-2014), and Josep Maria Bartomeu, who succeeded him until 2020. Rosell and Bartomeu have reportedly stated that the payments were inherited from previous directives, intended for reports to advise the club on arbitration issues. However, they continue to deny buying referee favors.
Mr. Negreira, who was the vice-president of the CTA from 1994 to 2018, is also under investigation. The payments are alleged to have been for sports consulting services, arbitration reports, pre- and post-match advice, and even for influencing referees and the competition, which the club denies.
Notably, Barcelona stopped making payments in 2018 following Negreira's departure from the Technical Arbitral Committee. Luis Rubiales took over the Spanish Football Federation in the same year, and it is unclear if the payments resumed after this point.
During a court hearing in Barcelona on Thursday, Rosell did not make a statement during his closed-door hearing. Other people under investigation, including the son of Enríquez Negreira, were also heard. The investigation involves Barcelona FC and some of its former executives, adding another layer of complexity to the case.
The "Negreira case" has stirred up controversy in the Spanish football world, with Luis Enrique and FC Barcelona also being involved in investigations regarding payments totaling between 7.3 million and 8.4 million euros to companies linked to José María Enríquez Negreira before he left the Technical Arbitral Committee in 2018.
As the investigation continues, the football world awaits the outcome of the "Negreira case" with bated breath, hoping for a clear resolution and a return to the sport's integrity.
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