According to Spanish newspaper El Debate, the UEFA has received no relevant information regarding the Negreira case from the Spanish government, the Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Football Federation, or La Liga since the case became public 44 months ago. UEFA emphasizes that any delay in a ruling cannot be attributed to the organization.

After the case was uncovered, UEFA, under the leadership of Aleksander Čeferin, launched a disciplinary investigation. At the time, Čeferin stated: "This is the most serious corruption case ever." However, no investigation was conducted by the Spanish government, the Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Football Federation, or La Liga. None of these parties took action or submitted their findings through the Spanish Football Federation to UEFA.

UEFA sources stated: "The delay in a ruling in this alleged sports corruption case cannot be attributed to UEFA." Given the severity of the case, Spanish parties—from the government to football bodies—should have taken action at every level. FIFA also waited for information from the Spanish Football Federation and La Liga but received only silence. This collective silence created significant obstacles to the disciplinary process and appeared designed to allow the case to fade from public attention, but this approach has not succeeded.

Action against corruption in Turkey regarding its entire corrupt refereeing system, and particularly England's measures against Manchester City's corruption, has created a trend toward cleaning up football that is directly aimed at Spain and FC Barcelona. European media's argument is clear: if England can punish the powerful Manchester City, controlled by Emirati capital, severely, then UEFA should take action against FC Barcelona. In this narrative, Manchester City is seen as the main driver of unsustainably high prices in the global football market.

A source from UEFA headquarters in Nyon stated: "This is a very clear, very straightforward corruption case. The method was not hidden, nor were intermediaries used."

FC Barcelona "paid 8.4 million euros to the vice president of the Spanish Technical Refereeing Committee" to "gain obvious advantages." British media will pursue this angle. The "FC Barcelona case" has become an international issue and will receive worldwide attention alongside the Manchester City case. In Brazil and many other countries across the Americas, there are already discussions about "corruption in European football involving Manchester City, FC Barcelona, and Turkey."

The Spanish Football Federation Should Submit Information to UEFA

UEFA's initiation of a "disciplinary investigation" for "alleged sports corruption" means that the football federations involved must report monthly on the results of their information gathering and investigative work.

UEFA sources stated: "Over these three years, we have not received a single report from Spain, neither from the federation nor from any other party."

La Liga, the Spanish Football Federation's Technical Refereeing Committee, and the Spanish government could have launched investigations, but in these 44 months, no action was taken. Neither Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales nor La Liga President Javier Tebas acted. Tebas merely emphasizes, to his own advantage, that "the FC Barcelona case has exceeded the statute of limitations." This may apply under Spanish sports law, but the case has not exceeded the statute of limitations in ordinary court proceedings, and certainly not at UEFA and FIFA level.

UEFA understands why the Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Football Federation, and La Liga neither submitted information regarding the Negreira case nor conducted investigations in Spain. UEFA is well-informed about the case and events over these 44 months and is also aware that the Spanish government, the football federation, and La Liga have left everything to the Spanish judicial system. Over these 44 months, the case has been handled by four different judges who have either left their positions or recused themselves from the case under political pressure.

UEFA sources stated: "UEFA's decisions are now completely independent and will remain so in the future." UEFA will therefore handle the case more carefully, and rulings from national judicial authorities, including Spain's, will not influence UEFA's decisions.

Since launching a disciplinary investigation over three years ago, UEFA has examined and closely monitored developments in the "FC Barcelona case." UEFA is not surprised but emphasizes that only Real Madrid, which it considers the primary victim of the case, has filed a complaint.

UEFA sources stated: "In our view, this alleged sports corruption case is very clear, but the final decision will be made by the Ethics Committee."

UEFA has determined that only Real Madrid filed a complaint without support from the Spanish Football Federation and La Liga—two institutions that should have acted. Relevant sources stated: "The serious corruption allegations against FC Barcelona have harmed the interests of all other clubs."

The Spanish Football Federation and La Liga are protecting the accused club but not the other clubs that should be considered victims—a position that causes surprise in Nyon. UEFA sources stated: "This actually surprises us." For UEFA, this is a contradictory phenomenon. They also find it strange that Atlético Madrid and many other Spanish clubs, whose interests should have been harmed by the "FC Barcelona case," have neither commented nor filed complaints.

Rubiales Never Discusses the Case

UEFA headquarters is well-acquainted with all aspects of the case. In recent months, they have studied Real Madrid's 50,000-page report, which details refereeing decisions against Real Madrid this century, with related materials extending to this year. Since Negreira's retirement in 2018, Real Madrid has clearly presented and provided UEFA with various evidentiary materials. Real Madrid's position is that referees who collaborated with Negreira and were promoted during his tenure continue to make decisions that occasionally harm Real Madrid's interests. Currently, 20 individuals from the Negreira era still serve on the Technical Refereeing Committee.

UEFA is informed of every detail of the Negreira case and has not distanced itself from the case's progress; quite the opposite. The now-published official statement on the "FC Barcelona case" and Real Madrid's detailed refereeing report reflect the significance of this conflict. UEFA does not issue statements unless there is something important to communicate. Months ago, UEFA officially announced Real Madrid's return to the UEFA system, and now it has issued a statement that it is investigating the FC Barcelona and Negreira case and has received all materials submitted by Real Madrid.

UEFA understands the actions, omissions, and various circumstances of all parties involved in the case, and one phenomenon has caught its attention. UEFA sources stated: "The president of the Spanish Football Federation never mentions the names FC Barcelona and Negreira; he refuses to reference anything related to this matter."

This is consistent with Rubiales' refusal to investigate the scandal, as he has avoided addressing the core of the matter. Florentino Pérez asked Rubiales to take action, and Rubiales told him: "Forget about Negreira." The UEFA Ethics Committee has not forgotten the case and will render a decision.

Übersetzt von KI.

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