Rabat – Barcelona president Joan Laporta has launched another attack on Real Madrid over the Negreira case, accusing the club of trying to damage Barcelona’s reputation and arguing that its current institutional approach has cost it prestige and credibility.
Speaking in comments reported by Cadena SER, Laporta said he remains confident Barcelona will ultimately be cleared in the ongoing judicial proceedings concerning payments made to former Spanish refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira.
“In Madrid they talk about other issues to divert attention,” Laporta said. “I will never stop saying that they tried to condemn us before we were even judged.”
He maintained that accusations against Barcelona had not been proven and predicted that the case would end with the Catalan club being acquitted.
“They are extending the investigation as much as they can to keep this case alive, but it will lead nowhere,” he added. “It is an attempt to damage Barcelona’s reputation. I don’t think they are doing it in good faith.”
Real Madrid submitted Negreira documents to UEFA
Laporta’s latest comments come shortly after UEFA confirmed that it had received documentation from Real Madrid related to the Negreira case.
Barcelona subsequently clarified that UEFA had not opened a new investigation, saying proceedings launched in 2023 had never been closed and that the new material would simply be assessed by UEFA’s existing ethics and disciplinary investigators.
Real Madrid has pushed for UEFA to examine the case and determine whether disciplinary action against Barcelona is warranted.
The Spanish criminal proceedings also remain unresolved, meaning no final judicial ruling has established that Barcelona manipulated refereeing decisions or match results.
Laporta attacks Madrid’s institutional approach
Laporta also criticized Real Madrid’s absence from meetings involving European football organizations.
The Barcelona president argued that the club’s stance demonstrates what he described as a loss of influence.
“This clearly shows the position of a club that has lost prestige, recognition and credibility at national, regional and international levels,” Laporta said. “They choose a very arrogant and overbearing position. They should reflect on themselves.”
Barcelona, by contrast, have recently sought to rebuild their relationships with UEFA and European Football Clubs, formerly known as the European Club Association.
Laporta attended the EFC assembly in Copenhagen earlier this month and held meetings with UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin and EFC President Nasser Al-Khelaifi as Barcelona continued efforts to strengthen ties with both organizations.
The Negreira case remains one of the main sources of tension between Barcelona and Real Madrid, with relations between the two clubs deteriorating significantly since Madrid formally became involved in the proceedings.
