Former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu have been called to testify in the Negreira case, with the couple part of an investigation into Barcelona. Both are accused of sporting corruption, just like the club.
Both have been accused of the aforementioned crimes, and today the investigation magistrate agreed to extend the period of investigation, only a few weeks after the case reached the legal system for two years. The charges relate to a series of payments from Barcelona to two companies owned by former vice-president of the Referee Committee Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.
Barcelona has claimed that the payments were for advice on referee decisions and also received reports from his son Javier Negreira, who was also part of those companies. During the duration of the 17 years, Barcelona paid between € 7-8 million, but the research magistrate is of the opinion that the payments are not sufficiently accredited, hence the accusation of sporting corruption.
The Blaugrana are also accused of bribery, but it is not expected that they can prove that Negreira was an official because he belonged to a private company in the RFEF. In the next six months, Cadena Ser says, both Rosell and Bartomeu will give witness to a judge, whereby the club is also charged with corporate fraud and forgery of documents. The current President Joan Laporta was president in that period, but after having started his mandate more than five years before the end of the payment period, there is a status of limitations that prevented him from being charged.
Real Madrid has called on the reform of the Wholescale in the referee company as a result of the charges, which have not yet been proven, and are one of the many clubs that have joined the claim against Barcelona. This week they were part of a referee reform committee next to Seville and Real Betis, while changes are being discussed.
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