Former Barcelona Presidents Deny Corruption, Insist Payments Were for ‘Advisory Services’

Former FC Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu insisted on Thursday that payments made to a former refereeing official were for legitimate “advisory services,” as they testified in court as part of the ongoing “Negreira case.” Both men denied any wrongdoing or that the payments were intended to influence refereeing decisions.

The club and several former officials, including Rosell and Bartomeu, are under investigation after it was revealed that Barcelona paid a company owned by José María Enríquez Negreira more than €7.3 million between 2001 and 2018. During this period, Negreira served as the vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee (CTA). Prosecutors allege the payments were a form of corruption, while the club maintains they were for technical reports and advice on referees.

Speaking to reporters outside the Barcelona court, Josep Maria Bartomeu, who was president from 2014 to 2020, stated that the day’s hearing had “quashed” many of the theories that have been raised in recent years. “It was clarified that there were advisory services, referee reports, guidance regarding pre- and post-match matters (provided), and that there was a financial trade-off for that advisory work,” Bartomeu said.

Sandro Rosell, who served as president from 2010 to 2014, left the court without making a public statement. However, according to sources, he told the court that the payments were for sporting advisory services and were never intended to manipulate the competition. Both former presidents reportedly stated that these payments were a practice they inherited from previous administrations.

The investigation began in March 2023 after Spain’s tax authorities flagged irregularities in payments made by Dasnil 95, the company owned by Negreira. In addition to Rosell and Bartomeu, other individuals under investigation, including Negreira’s son, also appeared to testify on Thursday.

The case remains open, with the judge recently extending the investigation phase for another six months as more individuals are summoned to testify. The outcome is considered one of the most significant legal controversies in Spanish football history.

Source: Super Sports