Real Madrid Sends UEFA Documents on the Negreira Case
UEFA confirmed that it received documents sent by Real Madrid regarding the Negreira Case and that they will be considered as part of the ongoing investigation.
The Negreira Case has entered a new chapter after UEFA confirmed that it received a substantial amount of documentation sent by Real Madrid related to the investigation into Barcelona and José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice president of the Referees Technical Committee of the Spanish Football Federation.
UEFA explained that its Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have also received the new documents and that they will be taken into account as part of the ongoing investigation.
Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, had previously announced that the club was preparing a dossier of approximately 500 pages to submit to European soccer's governing body.
The Real Madrid president has been highly critical of the case and has publicly called for UEFA to intervene. In his remarks, Florentino Pérez described the situation as "the biggest corruption case in the history of soccer."
What Is the Negreira Case Investigating?
The Negreira Case is investigating payments made over several years by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira through companies linked to the former vice president of the Referees Technical Committee.
Those payments exceeded seven million euros between 2001 and 2018. Prosecutors suspect they may have been intended to influence refereeing, while Barcelona maintains that the money was paid for reports and technical consulting services regarding referees.
Florentino Pérez's comments also prompted a legal response from Barcelona. The Catalan club began proceedings ahead of a potential defamation lawsuit against the Real Madrid president. A conciliation hearing between the two parties is scheduled for November 25 in Madrid.
UEFA's Investigation Remains Open
UEFA has kept the proceedings related to Barcelona's participation in its competitions suspended since July 2023, although it retains the option to reopen them on its own initiative.
After receiving information from the Catalan club, the UEFA Appeals Body provisionally allowed Barcelona to participate in European competitions but left open the possibility of making a future decision regarding the club's admission or exclusion.
The new documents submitted by Real Madrid will now be incorporated into an investigation that remains open and continues to be reviewed by UEFA's Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors.
Key Takeaways
- UEFA confirmed that it received documentation from Real Madrid.
- The material will be considered as part of the ongoing investigation.
- Florentino Pérez had announced a dossier of approximately 500 pages.
- The case is investigating payments made by Barcelona linked to José María Enríquez Negreira.
- UEFA retains the option to reopen its proceedings regarding the Catalan club.
