UEFA reopens case against FC Barcelona after Real Madrid's complaint
UEFA has reactivated the investigative file it opened in March 2023 against FC Barcelona, after Real Madrid filed a complaint accompanied by extensive documentation. The decision was announced in the Bernabeu box, where UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez attended the REUTERS press conference.
Real Madrid's Complaint
The white club handed UEFA a report of more than 500 pages that includes all payments made to former vice‑president of the Referees' Technical Committee, José María Enríquez Negreira, between 2001 and 2018. According to the document, the disbursements amounted to €8.4 million and were spread under the direction of four different FC Barcelona presidents.
Real Madrid also sent a dossier of 50,000 pages to UEFA's Disciplinary Committee, as indicated by the second block of information, reinforcing the seriousness of the indications of opaque payments with no verifiable justification.
UEFA's Reaction
Ceferin said he was scandalized by the case and stated that, if any punishable infringement were found, UEFA has not prescribed anything despite the years that have passed since the start of the relationship between Barça and Negreira. The body confirmed receipt of the documentation and has placed it in the hands of its Ethics and Discipline Inspectors for a thorough review.
The organization recalled that, according to article 4 of its regulations, it can ban any club from its competitions if a prohibited practice that alters the natural order of sport is demonstrated. The sanction, if imposed, would be valid for one season.
Context and Possible Consequences
The Negreira case is reopened amid the controversy surrounding Manchester City for alleged Financial Fair Play violations, which has heightened attention on the integrity of European football. Real Madrid, in a statement, emphasized the need for the investigation to progress with utmost speed and for the competent bodies to adopt the corresponding decisions.
The white club also expressed its willingness to actively cooperate with UEFA, taking all actions within its reach to clarify the facts that, according to its position, are incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency and fair play that must govern European football.