The public prosecutor’s office in Barcelona is investigating payments totaling 1.4 million euros by FC Barcelona to an official in Spanish refereeing.
It is about payments between 2016 and 2018, the money went to a company owned by José María Enríquez Negreira, as reported by the Spanish radio station Cadena SER and the newspaper “El País”. At the time, Enríquez Negreira was vice-president of the technical committee of referees in the Spanish federation RFEF. The disputed payments fall within the tenure of Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu.
When Enríquez Negreira left the board in 2018, the club stopped making payments. Ex-President Bartomeu told Cadena SER that the suspension of payments was related to an austerity policy that had been put in place. Barcelona meanwhile pushed debts in the billions.
Barcelona ‘favoured in any decision’
FC Barcelona tried to dispel any suspicion that referees had bought goodwill and made a public statement. The services concerned reports on players and referees, “to supplement your own information”, said the club. That’s all “common practice in professional football clubs”.
Enríquez Negreira assured Cadena SER that he never preferred FC Barcelona in any decision – just that “advise”. Namely, how to behave towards each individual referee. He only took on such an activity for Barcelona.
Advice on conduct towards referees
According to media reports, the public prosecutor’s office is now investigating possible tax offenses by Enríquez Negreira. There is no evidence that there was any consideration at all for the payments, according to broadcaster Cadena SER, citing the investigators. In response to this accusation, Enríquez Negreira assured that he had advised the club verbally in some cases.
Barcelona will play Manchester United in the first leg of the second round of the Europa League on Thursday (February 16, 2023/6:45 p.m.). In the Spanish league, Barcelona take on Cádiz CF as the dominant leaders on Sunday (9 p.m.).