Joan Laporta, the elected President of Barcelona, has strongly refuted Real Madrid’s complaints regarding the ongoing Negreira case, suggesting they are a diversionary tactic.
The Negreira case, which involves payments made by Barcelona to a former vice-president of the Referees Committee, continues to be a subject of discussion in Spanish football. While authorities are still gathering testimony, recent medical evaluations indicate that Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, the central figure who received approximately €7-8 million over 17 years, may not be able to participate in legal proceedings due to a decline in his mental state.
Speaking at the ‘Koeman Cup’ charity golf event, Laporta stated that the attention generated by Real Madrid concerning the Negreira affair is a deliberate attempt to create a “smokescreen.” He believes this is intended to deflect from Real Madrid’s inability to secure any titles in the past two years and to mask their own shortcomings.
“Everything related to the Negreira case, which isn’t even a case, is falsehoods,” Laporta asserted. “I think they’re doing it to create a smokescreen and divert attention from the fact that they haven’t won anything in two years. They’re using Barça to cover up their failures.” He also mentioned that Barcelona is reviewing these statements to formulate an appropriate response.
Laporta highlighted Barcelona’s recent successes, including two consecutive league titles, two Super Cups, and a Copa del Rey, in contrast to Real Madrid’s trophy drought. He expressed his determination to counter what he perceives as an attempt to instill fear and undermine Barcelona’s achievements.
This statement from Laporta comes in response to allegations made by Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez. Perez had claimed that Real Madrid had been “robbed” of seven La Liga titles and announced plans to submit a 500-page dossier to UEFA, detailing perceived biased officiating. Real Madrid manager Alvaro Arbeloa has since publicly dismissed Laporta’s remarks.
