La Liga president on Barcelona bribery scandal: ‘Worst I can remember’ | Foreign football

Spain’s Public Prosecutor’s Office has sued Barcelona for payments to a company owned by a former boss of Spain’s referee commission.

“The problem that is happening now is the worst I can remember,” Tebas told Movistar channel Vamos. “There have been payments from Barcelona to the Vice-President of the Referee Commission. That’s abnormal. It is understandable that this causes tension. Football’s reputation is at stake. I am ashamed. We have not heard a good explanation from Barcelona.”

The Catalan club allegedly paid a company owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former boss of Spain’s refereeing commission, more than €6.5 million between 2001 and 2018. Barcelona says the payments were made for advice on refereeing matters. According to the prosecutors, the former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell are guilty of bribery.

Current Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted that his club has never tried to influence referees. “Fierce attacks are taking place with the aim of tarnishing our club logo, which have nothing to do with reality,” said an emotional Laporta on Monday. “You can be sure that the board that I am allowed to chair will defend itself in every way.”