Real Madrid and Barcelona's dispute continues: a new surprise ignites the Negreira case
The story that has not ended
The Negreira case refuses to go away. It has roared back to the forefront in recent hours, coinciding with a move by UEFA on the file and with comments from Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho that reopened the debate over the refereeing legacy of the era in which Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira served as deputy chairman of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees.
Spanish newspaper "AS" revealed that 20 referees or refereeing officials who worked through the Negreira period remain active in the system, whether on the pitch, in video technology, or in technical roles.
Speaking at a press conference after the Madrid derby, Mourinho reflected on the change he had noticed since his return to the Spanish league before turning to the Negreira case directly, questioning whether the man was still linked to the file.
The Portuguese manager's words landed just as UEFA announced it was pressing on with its action in the case after receiving documents and evidence submitted by Real Madrid, a file concerning the payments Negreira received from Barcelona during his time within the Technical Committee of Referees. UEFA confirmed the investigation remains ongoing. Barcelona, meanwhile, insisted the file was never closed in the first place.
Among the most prominent names still present in the Spanish refereeing scene: "Alberola Rojas, Cordero Vega, Cuadra Fernandez, De Burgos Bengoetxea, Del Cerro Grande, Diaz de Mera, Fernandez Borbalan, Figueroa Vazquez, Gil Manzano, Hernandez Hernandez, Martinez Munuera, Mila Alvendiz, Munuera Montero, Lopez Toca, Pizarro Gomez, Pulido Santana, Sanchez Martinez, Trujillo Suarez, Prieto Iglesias and Torrenzo Alvarez".
These figures are split between past and present field refereeing, VAR technology, and technical and administrative positions within the system. Fernandez Borbalan and Torrenzo Alvarez stand out among the current names, holding technical and administrative roles away from the pitch.
Negreira held the post of deputy chairman of the Technical Committee of Referees from 1993 to 2018. The case broke publicly in February 2023, after investigations into payments made by Barcelona to companies linked to the former referee.
According to the Spanish investigations, those payments attributed to Barcelona topped 8 million euros across the years in question. The account under investigation claims they were in return for reports relating to refereeing. What those payments were truly for, and their sporting and legal implications, remains in the hands of the judicial authorities.
Investigation Court No. 1 in Barcelona continues to examine the case, with testimonies scheduled for November before the next procedural stages. Back in September, the court rejected a request to extend the investigation for a further six months, yet kept it open because of the scheduled testimonies.
As for Negreira himself, a recent forensic medical report found that his cognitive condition had deteriorated. It confirmed that he does not possess the cognitive and volitional capacities needed to grasp the scope of the judicial proceedings, casting serious doubt on his attendance at any trial.
With the file still live in the courts and UEFA acting at European level, the Negreira case looks a long way from its conclusion. The lingering presence of 20 names from his era within the refereeing system shows just how far the effects of that period still reach into Spanish football today.
