entangled in the Negreira affair, FC Barcelona has “never done anything to obtain a sporting advantage”, defends its president Joan Laporta

FC Barcelona defends and counter-attacks. Joan Laporta, the president of the Catalan club, shaken for two months by an arbitration scandal, assured that Barça has not “never did anything to gain a sporting advantage”, during a press conference organized Monday, April 17 at the Camp Nou. Barca have never had “for an end purpose or for the intention to distort competition”insisted the Catalan leader, who also denounced a “smear campaign” against the club.

“These accusations must be proven. We live in a state of law which guarantees among the basic principles the presumption of innocence”supported Laporta, also explaining that the club reserved the right to attack its detractors for “defamation”.

FC Barcelona is embroiled in a case of payments to a former senior referee, José Maria Enriquez Negreira. The irregularities were detected by the Spanish tax authorities, through a company, Dasnil 95, belonging to Negreira. According to the prosecution, the Catalan club would have paid more than 7.3 million euros between 2001 and 2018, in exchange for advice on arbitration matters. These payments would have been interrupted when Mr. Negreira left his post in the Spanish Technical Arbitral Committee (CTA).

UEFA opened an investigation at the end of March “possible violation of the legal framework” of the instance.