'A tense situation' - Real Madrid and Barcelona relations 'aren't good' due to Negreira refereeing case, says Joan Laporta

The 'Negreira' case has become perhaps the most high-profile legal case in football in recent history, with Barcelona accused of paying €8 million to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the CTA (Technical Comitttee of Referees in Spain), between 2001 and 2018 for unethical purposes. 

In October, a Barcelona court issued a formal order requiring the Catalan club to hand over all contracts and supporting documents related to the ongoing investigation. According to reports from El Mundo, investigators have been unable to locate the original agreements or any written records in Barcelona’s archives to substantiate the payments, which were allegedly made for “refereeing advisory” services. The absence of documentation has deepened suspicions about the club’s dealings with Negreira.

The court’s directive goes beyond the collection of administrative records, as Barcelona have also been summoned to testify as a legal entity. Former coaches Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, along with current club president Laporta, are scheduled to appear as witnesses on November 25.

Speaking on Catalunya Radio, Laporta said: “The meeting was proper, respectful, and harmonious. We've never been married, so a divorce isn't possible. Relations aren't good because they appeared in the Negreira case, presenting irrelevant and inconclusive evidence. Having the case open must be of some interest to them. We don't like it, and it's a tense situation. We're eternal rivals, and we handle it with respect. I didn't want to get into the issue of the match in Miami against Villarreal. We saw opposition from the AFE (Spanish Footballers' Association) and other clubs from the very beginning. I don't believe the competition will be compromised.”

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Los Blancos approached the matter with urgency, calling a board meeting in March 2023 as accusations against Barcelona intensified. According to a report from Marcain September, Real Madrid are determined to pursue the Negreira case to its fullest extent, seeking consequences wherever possible. The club reportedly believes that a long-standing culture of bias still exists against them and considers sanctions against Barcelona essential for the integrity of both Real Madrid and Spanish football.

What's more, Real Madrid TV, the club's official media channel, has intensified its coverage of the case, releasing a series of reports highlighting what the club views as years of unfair treatment. The broadcasts have examined data such as the distribution of yellow and red cards involving both Barcelona and Real Madrid matches – a continuation of an editorial stance the channel has maintained for some time.

Recently, Madrid lodged an official complaint to FIFA which centred on alleged refereeing inconsistencies, highlighting incidents such as Arda Guler’s disallowed goal, Kylian Mbappe’s marginal offside calls, and Dean Huijsen’s red card against Real Sociedad. Club president Florentino Perez has called for international oversight, arguing that domestic officiating lacks credibility.

When asked about the issue, head coach Xabi Alonso acknowledged that defending the club’s interests is legitimate but warned against allowing refereeing controversies to dominate the conversation. "It's legitimate to defend our interests. As long as the club does it, it's fine. I don't want the refereeing issue to be a one-track mind. Let's think about tomorrow. The Anoeta incident has been discussed enough," he said.

The complaint also references the Negreira case, asserting that the scandal continues to undermine confidence in Spanish refereeing, as several current officials began their careers under his tenure.

After appearing at one of the hearings in September, former Barcelona president Sandro Rosell blasted Madrid for escalating matters to FIFA while also defending the Catalans. "A gentleman's club should have accepted this and not dragged it out for life as they are trying to do to cover up other things," he said. "Like now, for example, after four league games, they have already gone to complain to FIFA about the refereeing. Where is Mr. Negreira now?

"Here they can say that we're closing the case because the evidence supports the accused... and that's it. Let's all sit down and watch the games again. I'd love to. Maybe some people here wouldn't like to watch it again. I'm sorry. But sometimes you don't win. Sometimes you lose, and you have to accept that."