“If they want to talk so much about ethics, they can give us back the European cups” - Ex-Barcelona president aims dig at Real Madrid
Amidst the ongoing Negreira scandal, Barcelona ex-president Joan Gaspart has openly criticized Real Madrid. The current investigative spotlight is now on Barca's dealings with Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, former vice-president of the Referees Committee.
Due to this, the club have to answer accusations of sporting corruption and bribery, but this has not stopped Blaugrana's high-ranking members from discussing Real Madrid. In a candid conversation with Radio Barcelona, Gaspart didn't mince words about Real Madrid's ethical standards, as he said (via Football Espana):
“If they want to talk so much about ethics in Madrid, then they can give us back the European Cups and the Leagues that they won with Di Stefano and we are all at peace. Ethics is about the present, the past and the future. Just as illegal things can go beyond the statute of limitations, ethics do not. History is what it is. Ethics are interpretive, I accept it."
He continued:
"But be careful with ethics, there are many clubs that have had former international referees as team delegates. I believe that referees are honest and can make mistakes, just as directors and managers can. I believe that no club in Spanish football has paid to have the favour of a referee.”
While the shadow of the Negreira scandal looms large over Barcelona, Gaspart remains safe from legal repercussions due to the statute of limitations. This immunity, however, does not extend to his successors Sandro Rosell, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and Joan Laporta.
Real Madrid are part of the plaintiffs in Negreira case, as Barcelona's payments to referee are scrutinized
The Negreira case originated from an investigation by the Spanish Tax Agency into Barcelona's alleged payments to Enriquez Negreira and his companies, which spans from 2001 to 2018. The controversy centers around approximately €7 million paid for supposed consulting services, which are now under scrutiny for potentially influencing refereeing decisions.
Earlier this year, the court rejected former Barcelona president Josep Bartomeu's appeal against Real Madrid's inclusion as a plaintiff in the case. This is according to El Confidencial (via Managing Madrid), which revealed the presiding magistrate Joaquin Lopez's statements about the Negreira case.
The magistrate said it's a "logical possibility" these payments were intended to sway decision-making within referees, adversely affecting other teams. Enriquez Negreira, who allegedly received the said payments from Barcelona, held a position as one of the three vice presidents of the refereeing body.
This body had significant influence over referee appointments for La Liga matches as well as referee career progression. The judge's observations suggest that Negreira exploited his role to favor the assignment of sympathetic referees for crucial matches, possibly impacting their career trajectories and earnings.