Real Madrid release official statement as UEFA reopen the Negreira case investigation following complaint regarding Barcelona payments

UEFA have officially reopened their investigation into the Negreira case after receiving a substantial complaint from Real Madrid. The capital club published an official statement today confirming that European football's governing body have received extensive documentation regarding the €8.4 million paid by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.

Madrid stated: "UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid C.F. and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by F.C. Barcelona to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees. The complaint filed by our club includes extensive documentation and evidence regarding events of extraordinary seriousness, which directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system."

Madrid have publicly demanded a swift resolution from the governing body to protect the integrity of the sport. Their official announcement continued: "Real Madrid C.F. considers it essential that, now that UEFA has this documentation, the investigation proceeds with the utmost urgency until its full conclusion, and that the competent bodies take the appropriate decisions in accordance with the severity of the verified facts."

Furthermore, the club vowed to remain involved, adding: "Our club will continue to actively collaborate with UEFA and take all actions within its power to clarify events that it deems incompatible with the principles of integrity, transparency, and fair play that should govern European football."

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin previously highlighted the gravity of Barcelona's actions regarding the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees.

Speaking on the initial revelations surrounding the historic payments, Ceferin stated: "I cannot comment directly on this for two reasons. First, because we have an independent disciplinary committee in charge of it. Second, because I have not dealt with this matter in detail. However, I can say one thing. I have been informed and the situation is extremely serious. So serious, in my view, that it is one of the gravest I have seen in football. At the level of LaLiga, of course, the matter is time-barred and cannot have competitive consequences, but proceedings are ongoing at the civil prosecutor’s office in Spain. As far as UEFA is concerned, nothing is time-barred." In addition, an official spokesperson confirmed the governing body have received the documents concerning the "so-called Negreira case".

UEFA will now thoroughly analyse the provided evidence and gather direct statements from all involved parties, including official submissions from Barcelona. The disciplinary committee have the regulatory power to ban a team from European competitions if they find concrete evidence of attempts to distort competitive integrity, leaving the Catalan side facing potentially unprecedented sporting sanctions.