Barcelona Reportedly Ordered to Submit Negreira Contracts as €8m Payment Records Vanish
- Barcelona’s legal troubles have taken a dramatic turn as a Spanish court demands crucial documents in an explosive case
- Two former Barcelona coaches are now set to appear before the court alongside club president Joan Laporta
- Barcelona now faces mounting pressure to prove the controversial payments were innocent or risk a verdict that could haunt the club for years
Barcelona’s long-running legal crisis has deepened after a Spanish court instructed the club to hand over the original contracts linked to the €8 million paid to former refereeing executive Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
The directive comes amid growing alarm over missing documents, with investigators struggling to determine whether the transactions were legitimate or aimed at swaying officiating decisions in favour of the Catalan giants.
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Court orders Barcelona to provide Negreira contracts
The high-profile “Negreira Case” has entered a decisive phase as a Barcelona court issued a formal order demanding the club present every contract and record connected to payments made between 2001 and 2018.
Reports from El Mundo suggest investigators have so far found no trace of the original documents in the club’s archives, an absence that has only fuelled suspicions surrounding the nature of Barcelona’s relationship with Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s Referees Committee.
The court’s latest order also compels Barcelona, as a legal entity, to testify. For this reason, former coaches Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde, along with current president Joan Laporta, are scheduled to appear as witnesses on November 25, marking a potentially pivotal moment in the ongoing investigation, as featured by the Catalan News.
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In the meantime, judicial authorities remain determined to uncover the truth behind the nearly two decades of payments to Negreira.
At the heart of the inquiry lies a key question: were these fees genuine consulting services, or part of a scheme to influence officiating decisions?
Now, the court has asked for any material proof of the supposed advisory work, including written analyses, reports, or correspondence.
According to El Mundo, so far, none has surfaced to support Barcelona’s claim that the payments were for lawful referee assessments and scouting advice.
Meanwhile, former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell have both defended the arrangement, insisting the services were strictly technical. However, conflicting testimonies and the continued lack of verifiable documentation have only heightened judicial scrutiny.
The investigation’s scope has now widened, with club representative Elena Fort and former president Joan Gaspart summoned to testify early next year. Ex-referee Ricardo Segura, who currently serves in a similar advisory role at Barcelona, will also face questioning.
As the November 25 hearing approaches, the club faces immense pressure to produce evidence that could determine whether the case is one of administrative failure or something far more serious that could stain Barcelona’s reputation for years to come.
Barcelona's Raphinha missed El Clásico
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported on the unavailability of key Barcelona winger Raphinha for last Sunday's La Liga El Clásico.
Hansi Flick was also without striker Robert Lewandowski, with Real Madrid carrying the day with a 2-1 success against the 2024/25 Spanish champions.
Source: YEN.com.gh
