Real Madrid has formally written to the governing body of European football, the UEFA, claiming it possesses evidence that strengthens allegations that Barcelona made improper payments to referees in the long-running Negreira case.
The case centers on payments totaling more than €7.3 million made by Barcelona between 2001 and 2018 to companies linked to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).
Barcelona has consistently maintained that the payments were for legitimate technical and refereeing consultancy services. However, Spanish prosecutors continue to investigate whether the transactions amounted to corruption and administrative misconduct.
In a letter sent to UEFA on Wednesday, Real Madrid argued that newly available evidence reinforces existing suspicions regarding the payments and their purpose.
The club said it had informed UEFA of “the existence of relevant evidence that conclusively reinforces the indications already known from the beginning about the existence of long-term payments, opaque and lacking any verifiable justification.”
According to Real Madrid, the evidence points to a long-running system of payments allegedly made through various corporate structures without transparent or verifiable justification.
The Spanish giants further warned that the alleged conduct represents “a systemic risk of maximum gravity for the integrity of competitions,” adding that it “evidences the existence of a structure of undue influence on the arbitration system, incompatible with the essential principles of competitive equality, neutrality, impartiality and unpredictability of the sports result.”
Real Madrid urged UEFA to immediately revive disciplinary proceedings linked to the case, insisting that “it is unacceptable that this situation has been prolonged over time, since its persistence seriously compromises the credibility of football, its institutions and its leaders.”
The club also called for “a firm, exemplary and immediate response in the sports field, independent of the future of the ongoing judicial proceedings.”
In the letter, Madrid requested that UEFA use its independent authority to take disciplinary action where necessary.
“Therefore, our club asks UEFA, in the exercise of its own, autonomous and independent competence, to adopt the disciplinary and restorative measures that are appropriate in order to guarantee the integrity, transparency and proper functioning of the competitions,” the letter stated.
While stressing that it was not attempting to replace the role of state courts or prejudge any criminal ruling, Real Madrid confirmed it would continue participating in the ongoing legal process.
“Real Madrid, in person in the ongoing criminal proceedings as a private accusation, will exercise, as it has been doing since its inception, the actions that correspond at each procedural moment,” the club said.
The letter concluded with a pledge by the club to continue defending the integrity of football.
“Real Madrid reaffirms its commitment to the defense of the essential values of sport and will continue to promote as many actions as necessary to ensure that events of this nature do not go unpunished,” the statement added.
