Barcelona never makes things easy for themselves, while in LaLiga the Catalan giants are in firm control of first place, off the field the club continues to face issues regarding their finances and a case surrounding payments made to the company of José María Enríquez Negreira, LaLiga’s former head of the referee committee.
It was reported that 7.3 million euros were paid to the company of José María Enríquez Negreira, with Barcelona claiming that the payments were for in-depth referee reports and not bribes of any kind. The case is being investigated by the Spanish courts.
On Monday the president of Barcelona, Joan Laporta took questions regarding the matter and became visibly angry with the kind of questions he was getting and took a jab at Real Madrid.
Laporta on Real Madrid and their “favoritism” by referees
“The fact that Barça received technical and arbitration advice does not constitute any type of criminal offense. We did it with clarity and transparency. It is advice that all clubs have implemented, which existed and is recorded in club invoices and accounting books that have passed fiscal reviews. I can assure you of that, at least as regards my tenure from 2003 to 2010. I never had the courage to hide things”, Laporta stated.
When it came to Real Madrid the Barcelona boss pulled no punches, “I would like to comment on the appearance of a club that has taken part in the case and that says that it feels harmed sportingly. A club, Real Madrid which has historically been favored by arbitration decisions. Historically and currently. A team that has been considered the team of the regime of the day due to its proximity to the power of the day.”
“I think it is worth remembering that, for seven decades, the majority of the presidents of the group were, without interruption, either ex-members of Madrid, or ex-players or ex-directors of Madrid. For 70 years, those who have designated the people who had to decide justice have been ex-partners, ex-players and ex-directors. And sometimes all at once. That this club comes forward and alleges that it feels harmed in sporting terms in the best period in history, seems to me an unprecedented exercise in cynicism. And what I trust is that in this trial they can be unmasked,” Laporta finished.