This weekend’s highly anticipated El Clásico clash between Barcelona and Real Madrid will see a significant absence from the stands. Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has opted to continue his boycott of matches played in Catalonia.
The decision stems from the soured institutional relations between the clubs following revelations in 2023 about Barcelona’s payments to Enriquez Negreira, the former Vice-President of the Technical Committee of Referees. Barcelona faces accusations of sporting corruption in relation to these payments, and since the news broke, traditional pre-match meals between club executives have been discontinued. Perez has since chosen not to attend matches in Barcelona.
This trend will persist for Sunday’s El Clásico at the Spotify Camp Nou, with reports indicating that Perez will once again be absent. Consequently, an official pre-match meal will not take place, as the Real Madrid president will not be present.
This encounter marks the first El Clásico since Joan Laporta’s re-election as Barcelona president. While Laporta will be in attendance, Perez will not be there to engage with his counterpart. It remains to be seen how this situation will be perceived by Barcelona’s management, though it is a reality they have grown accustomed to.
The Negreira Case: Latest Developments
The Negreira case, which first emerged three years ago, has been under legal investigation for the past 12 to 18 months. Barcelona is facing multiple charges related to the payments made to Negreira, although the club consistently maintains its innocence. Real Madrid is involved in the legal proceedings alongside Barcelona as both parties await the outcome of the investigation.