Tebas condemns Real Madrid’s stance over Negreira case

Javier Tebas has criticised Real Madrid again over its handling of the Negreira case, accusing the club of prolonging the legal process as part of an escalating campaign against Barcelona.

The La Liga president was speaking at the “World in Progress” forum in Barcelona, in comments reported by Catalan newspaper Sport.

“What concerns me is the substance of the relationship between Barcelona and Real Madrid,” Tebas said. “What is happening today is that the Negreira case is being stretched like chewing gum, continuing to pull it out until it ends. I believe that is unacceptable.”

Tebas said La Liga had become involved in the case before Real Madrid, and questioned the change in the Spanish club’s position.

“We are a party in the Negreira case and we went to the public prosecutor’s office before Real Madrid,” he said. “The president of the club remained on the board for six months after the case emerged. He also spoke at one of the general meetings about the friendship between Barcelona and Real Madrid, while both clubs were involved in the European Super League project.

“But it seems everything changed after Barcelona withdrew from the project.”

Tebas said Real Madrid had not always treated the case with the same level of hostility while relations between the two clubs were better through their involvement in the Super League project.

“Until then, it seemed the intention was to allow the legal proceedings to follow their course,” he added. “But since Barcelona withdrew from the Super League, it is as if Negreira is in the dressing rooms of every referee who officiates Real Madrid’s matches.”

“The constant attacks on Barcelona are unacceptable. The time will come for the club to take responsibility, but it cannot now be claimed that the case is continuing in the same way.”

Why Tebas says La Liga acted first

The case concerns payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees, between 2001 and 2018. The payments amounted to about 7.5m euros, according to published investigations.

In March 2023, La Liga announced that it would join the case as a prosecuting party. Real Madrid decided to enter the proceedings on 12 March of the same year as an affected party, with the court accepting its participation in May.

Tebas’s objection is that Real Madrid did not initiate the legal action, while he also rejects the suggestion that the case proves Negreira continues to influence the current refereeing system.

His criticism does not amount to an exoneration of Barcelona. Tebas has previously said the payments were serious and should be investigated fully, but he has disputed claims that Negreira still affects refereeing decisions.

Case remains before the courts

The legal process is continuing as investigators examine the nature and purpose of the payments. Barcelona maintains they were for technical reports and consultancy related to refereeing and scouting, and denies seeking to influence referees or gain a sporting advantage.

Tebas said in October last year that the matter required a full investigation, while distinguishing between examining past events and claiming that Negreira’s influence remains present in Spanish refereeing.