La Liga President Accuses FC Barcelona Of ‘Sports Corruption’ And Believes It Will Be Sanctioned

During an appearance on The Wild Project podcast, La Liga president Javier Tebas accused FC Barcelona of "sports corruption" and also voiced a belief that the Catalans will be sanctioned.

Tebas was asked about the infamous 'Caso Negreira' as it is known in Spain, which centers around Barca paying more than $8 million to companies owned by the former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira from 2000 to 2018.

Especially through its current leader Joan Laporta, Barca has always attested that the payments were made for honest consultation work.

Bitter rivals Real Madrid appeared as an accuser in the case, as Barca was charged with "continued corruption between individuals in the sports field" in March last year.

On May 24, 2024, however, a Barcelona Audience Court rejected the alleged crime of bribery which the club voiced its "utter satisfaction" with.

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"We maintain our conviction that justice will prevail and the events pertaining to this indictment can be definitively clarified, thereby demonstrating the club's absolute innocence," it added, as the investigation continues.

On The Wild Project, Tebas said that La Liga believes the scandal "has to be clarified as much as possible".

"We have submitted certain documents for research. In this case it has not been proven that referees have been paid and I do not believe that it [will be] proven either," he added.

"Barcelona paid Negreira because he sold them [the belief] that he could influence the promotions and relegations of referees. He sold them [the belief] that Barcelona could have more influence on that. That is sports corruption, but not at the level of buying [referees].

"But it will not be possible to prove it," Tebas continued. "They are not going to reach any referee. What was done is wrong. I think Barcelona will have their sanction, but not at the level of the narrative that is being built from Madrid. There is nothing else [to say].

"I think it's going to [go on for] a long time. There will have to be a trial. I don't think it will come out that Negreira paid money to referees," Tebas predicted.

Moving on to Madrid president Florentino Perez, Tebas accused the construction magnate of "removing and replacing" newspaper directors and stated that he is worried about the influence Perez has.

"I say what I think and he doesn't like it," Tebas remarked about his arch nemesis, with whom he has clashed greatly in recent years over the thus failed breakaway European Super League.