At Barça there is an atmosphere of maximum tension due to the drift that the ‘Negreira case’ is taking. And Florentino Pérez’s decision to urgently convene his board of directors this morning to decide what actions they will follow after the complaint by the Prosecutor’s Office has set off all the alarms even more. The prudent (for some, surprising) silence that the white club had maintained up to now due to the ‘complicity’ between Florentino and Laporta was understood by many as a definitive way of staying out of the conflict. Barça and Madrid have many common interests, including the Super League, and it seemed that there was a non-aggression pact. But pressure from members and from the media cavern have made the Madrid president’s strategy change. And this unexpected maneuver (Madrid could decide today to appear in the case as an affected party) can unleash a battle with unforeseeable consequences.
Because Madrid is not, precisely, a club that can boast of having clean hands in arbitration matters. History is full of examples of how Madrid has received help of all kinds (including political) to win titles. In Spain and in Europe. You only need to remember how he won his first continental victories. Or how he managed to get Di Stefano not to sign for Barça… It seems that now nobody remembers (or wants to remember) the dark times of the NO-DO. If Madrid makes the serious mistake of uncovering the box of thunder, the war will be without quarter. And there may be many victims. The truth must see the light. The truth of now and the truth of the past.
TWO FINALS IN ONE WEEK
That all this happens on the eve of two decisive classics for the League and the Cup is no coincidence. It is about destabilizing Barça in any way. Fortunately, the team is protected by Laporta and Xavi. Both the president and the coach have formed separate shields to prevent all the controversy from affecting the squad. The Blaugrana team can seal the league title if they win the two games they are playing this week: tonight in San Mamés against Athletic and next Sunday at the Camp Nou against a Madrid that did not fail against Espanyol yesterday and momentarily reduced the advantage with the Barca. They are two vital finals for a team that needs this League to advance in its reconstruction project. The ‘Negreira case’ should not overshadow the enormous success that it would mean to be champions again.