Barcelona are facing one of the toughest moments in history after severe claims of a corruption scandal in Spain. The first formal accusations were made by the Prosecution Service in that country with court documents which prove the club paid more than $7 million to the company of Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the former vicepresident of the Technical Committee of Referees.
This scheme was ongoing for at least 17 years and the investigation will determine if the club benefited from the proven millionaire payments to Negreira. Though Barcelona argue the services were hired only for advisory, the conclusions will reveal if all led to competitive advantage.
Now, in a shocking turn of events, UEFA has decided to start their own investigation to determine if Barcelona are guilty. Read here to check out the possible sanctions for the club.
UEFA starts investigation against Barcelona for corruption scandal
Of course, the biggest consequence for Barcelona could be a huge sanction in the Champions League. The club might be banned from the competition. "In accordance with Article 31.4. UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors will carry out an investigation into a possible violation of UEFA's legal framework."
The main problem for Barcelona is if UEFA's investigation confirms that the club payments to Negreira's company determined the outcome of certain games. Fixed matches would definitely bring a historic sanction for Barcelona. They could be out from all European competitions for a long period of time.
One thing is for sure. The payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira existed, but, at the moment, there's no proof that indicates the money allowed Barcelona to receive help from the referees in Spain. This is the most important aspect of the investigation and all the possible sanctions depend on it.
This is Article 50 of UEFA's rules against corruption. "The admission to a UEFA competition of a Member Association or club directly or indirectly involved in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level can be refused with immediate effect, without prejudice to any possible disciplinary measures."
If Barcelona's payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira indeed influenced matches at any level, there's no turning back according to UEFA rules. Considering the economic situation of the club, a sanction in the Champions League could be massive.
"If, on the basis of all the factual circumstances and information available to UEFA, UEFA concludes to its comfortable satisfaction that a club has been directly and/or indirectly involved, since the entry into force of Article 50(3) of the UEFA Statutes, i.e. 27 April 2007, in any activity aimed at arranging or influencing the outcome of a match at national or international level, UEFA will declare such club ineligible to participate in the competition."
