Official: Barcelona on the Negreira case: we obtained our UEFA licences, and this is the time to respond to Real Madrid
The Catalan club responds forcefully
Barcelona have hit back at reports that UEFA reactivated its proceedings in the Negreira case, insisting the case was never reopened. The investigation, they say, has run continuously since 2023 and has never been closed.
In their statement, the club argued in the statement that UEFA's latest words announced no opening, reopening or reactivation of any new proceedings against them. They merely confirmed receipt of the documents submitted by Real Madrid, which investigators will now assess within the existing probe.
Barcelona deny reopening of the Negreira case
UEFA's proceedings began in 2023, the Catalan club explained, when two investigators were appointed and given free rein to carry out whatever measures they saw fit. Throughout, Barcelona insist they have met every single request.
The club seized on UEFA's own wording. The statement explicitly used the phrases "ongoing investigation" and "continuous review", which, according to Barcelona, proves the case was never closed. If it was never closed, they argue, it cannot have been reopened or reactivated.
Nothing in the European body's statement assessed the content or value of Real Madrid's documents, Barcelona added. It referred only to their receipt and the fact that ethics and disciplinary inspectors will review them.
"We will respond to Real Madrid at the appropriate time"
Any decision on the next step rests with UEFA's investigators. Barcelona pointed out that no fresh requests have been made of them so far, and that Real Madrid's complaint has not been referred to them either.
Should any new requests arrive, or Real Madrid's complaint be referred to them, the club say they will respond through the established procedures, exactly as they have done since the case began.
Real Madrid had announced that their UEFA complaint contained a large number of documents and pieces of evidence relating to payments received by José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the referees' committee of the Spanish Football Federation. The facts under investigation, they argue, go to the integrity of the competition and trust in the refereeing system.
Barcelona rely on their position before UEFA
The European proceedings, Barcelona pointed out, are subject under the applicable legislation to the outcome of the criminal case currently being heard in Spain. That, they stress, will not change.
They also noted that they have held UEFA's licence to play in European competitions since the investigation began, without a single objection, and have continued to feature normally in UEFA's competitions.
Barcelona closed by renewing their pledge of full cooperation with the competent authorities, before firing a clear message at the media. They called for "rigour and accuracy" when handling information on the case, amid the controversy stirred by UEFA's latest announcement and Real Madrid's use of the documents they submitted.
