Barcelona accused of 'biggest scandal in history of Spanish football' by Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa

The case has been back in the news of late. Barca were initially found to have made payments totalling €8.4 million (£7m/$10m) to Jose María Enríquez Negreira - a former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) of the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) - between 2001 and 2018.

Barcelona maintain that they hired Negreira as an external consultant to provide technical reports on refereeing, with the man himself denying any suggestion that was paid to influence decisions made in competitive fixtures. Bribery charges were dismissed by a Spanish court in May 2024, but the investigation continues under the charge of sports corruption.

Arbeloa, who has taken coaching reins at the Bernabeu on the back of Xabi Alonso’s dismissal, has been asked for his take on the situation. Unsurprisingly, given his ties to the Blancos, the ex-Spain international was scathing in his assessment.

He told reporters: “Regarding the Negreira case, I think that no one understands that, to this day, the biggest scandal in the history of Spanish football is still unresolved. For me that is what should worry a lot of people.”

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Arbeloa is doing his best to ensure that off-field matters do not become a distraction for Real, as they chase down Barcelona in another thrilling La Liga title race. He has endured the odd shock defeat during his tenure - against Albacete and Benfica - but has overseen three successive victories in La Liga.

He said of the challenges that his side face heading into a clash with Valencia on Sunday: “Great teams have to do a lot of things well to win. We can’t just master one, we have to be able to do many things well on the pitch: we have to be able to do them at the same time, have automatisms, think all the same way… And that can only be achieved by working and putting in hours.

“The predisposition that the players have had is still just as good, with the same desire and the same ambition of the objectives we have ahead of us. Tomorrow is a very complicated and difficult match. This week we’ve been focused on continuing that improvement in all aspects of the game. We are still far from our ceiling.”

Real Madrid have lost England international midfielder Jude Bellingham to an untimely injury, with a hamstring problem being picked up by the all-action 22-year-old, while Rodrygo is now serving a ban.

The Brazilian forward was dismissed during a humbling 4-2 defeat to Benfica in Lisbon that saw opposition goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin score a 98th-minute header to keep his team alive in Champions League competition.

Rodrygo has apologised for his actions, and Arbeloa considers that to be the end of the matter. He said: “He has already issued a statement of regret. He knows he made a mistake and from there we need to get him back as soon as possible and in the best possible condition so that he can help us as he knows how to do.”

Real are readying themselves for an immediate reunion with Benfica in continental action. Having failed to secure a top eight finish and automatic qualification for the last 16, they must face Jose Mourinho’s men again in the knockout phase play-offs.

The first leg of that contest will take place on February 17, with the Blancos having two domestic fixtures to work through prior to that. After facing Valencia at the Mestalla, they will then play host to Real Sociedad on February 14. Arbeloa’s side are within touching distance of Barcelona at the top of the Liga table.