According to Spanish newspaper El Debate, UEFA has received no relevant information from the Spanish government, the Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Football Federation, or LaLiga since the Negreira case emerged 44 months ago. UEFA has stressed that the delay in reaching a verdict on this matter cannot be attributed to them.

Following the revelation of the case, UEFA, led by Aleksander Čeferin, launched a disciplinary investigation. At the time, Čeferin stated: "This is the most serious case of corruption we have ever seen." However, none of the parties involved—from the Spanish government and the Higher Sports Council to the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga—initiated an investigation or submitted its findings to UEFA. No one took action.

UEFA officials stated: "The blame for the prolonged delay in a verdict on this alleged sports corruption case cannot be attributed to UEFA." Given the gravity of the matter, it was the Spanish national parties—from the government to football's governing bodies—who should have acted first. FIFA also awaited information from the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga but received only silence. This collective silence created significant obstacles to disciplinary proceedings, an apparent attempt to allow the matter to fade from public attention, but this approach has not succeeded.

The anti-corruption wave surrounding Turkey's compromised refereeing system, coupled with England's actions against corruption involving Manchester City, has created momentum for football reform, with direct scrutiny now falling on Spain and Barcelona. European media's argument is clear: if England can take action against a powerful Manchester City, controlled by Emirati capital, UEFA should act against Barcelona. In this narrative, Manchester City is viewed as a primary driver of unsustainably inflated prices in the global football market.

A source at UEFA's headquarters in Nyon stated: "This is a very clear and straightforward case of corruption; the methods were not concealed, and no intermediaries were used."

Barcelona allegedly "paid 8.4 million euros to the vice president of Spain's Technical Refereeing Committee" this century to "obtain clear advantages." British media will focus on this angle. The "Barcelona case" has become an international matter and will receive global attention alongside the Manchester City case. In Brazil and many other countries in the Americas, discussions are already underway about "sports corruption in European football involving Manchester City, Barcelona, and Turkey."

The Spanish Football Federation Should Submit Information to UEFA

UEFA's opening of "disciplinary proceedings for alleged sports corruption" means that the involved football association must submit monthly reports detailing its investigation findings and the information it has gathered.

UEFA officials stated: "Over these three years, we have received no reports from Spain—not from the Federation or from any other party."

LaLiga, the Spanish Football Federation's Technical Refereeing Committee, and the Spanish government certainly could have launched investigations, yet no action was taken during these 44 months. Neither Luis Rubiales, president of the Spanish Football Federation, nor Javier Tebas, president of LaLiga, took action. Tebas, pursuing his own interests, merely emphasizes that "the Barcelona case has exceeded the statute of limitations." This claim may apply under Spanish sports law, but the case has not exceeded the statute of limitations under ordinary judicial proceedings, let alone at UEFA and FIFA level.

UEFA understands why the Higher Sports Council, the Spanish Football Federation, and LaLiga have submitted no information on the Negreira case and have conducted no investigations in Spain. UEFA is well aware of the matter and what has transpired over these 44 months, and it also knows that the Spanish government, the Football Federation, and LaLiga have left everything to Spain's judicial system. Over this period, the case has been handled by four different judges, who have taken leave or withdrawn from the case amid political pressure.

UEFA officials stated: "UEFA's decisions are now entirely independent, and will remain so in the future." Consequently, UEFA will handle the matter with full autonomy, and no decision from a national judicial body, including Spain's, will influence UEFA's actions.

Since launching its disciplinary investigation more than three years ago, UEFA has meticulously examined and closely monitored progress on the "Barcelona case." UEFA is unsurprised but notes that only Real Madrid, which it views as the primary victim of the case, has filed a complaint.

UEFA officials stated: "In our view, this alleged sports corruption case is very clear, but ultimately it will be the Ethics Committee that makes the decision."

UEFA has noted that only Real Madrid filed a complaint, without support from the Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga—two institutions that should have acted. Relevant sources stated: "The alleged serious corruption committed by Barcelona has harmed the interests of all other teams."

The Spanish Football Federation and LaLiga defend an accused team rather than defending the interests of other teams considered victims, a stance that has puzzled Nyon. UEFA officials stated: "This is indeed surprising to us here." For UEFA, it represents a contradictory position. They also find it strange that Atlético Madrid and many other Spanish clubs, who should equally consider their interests harmed by the "Barcelona case," have neither spoken out nor filed complaints.

Rubiales Has Never Addressed the Matter

UEFA headquarters is fully aware of all aspects of the case. In recent months, they have studied a 50,000-page report submitted by Real Madrid, detailing refereeing decisions Real Madrid has faced this century, with relevant documentation extending to the present year. Real Madrid has explicitly detailed and provided UEFA with various refereeing documents from Negreira's resignation in 2018 to the present day. Real Madrid's position is that referees who worked under 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 sit on the Technical Refereeing Committee.

UEFA is aware of every detail of the Negreira case and has not distanced itself from the proceedings; quite the opposite. The official statements now being published regarding the "Barcelona case" and Real Madrid's detailed refereeing report reflect the significance of this controversy. UEFA does not issue statements unless it has something important to communicate. Several months ago, UEFA officially announced Real Madrid's reintegration into the UEFA system, and now it has issued a statement indicating that it will examine the Barcelona and Negreira case and that it possesses all documents submitted by Real Madrid.

UEFA understands the actions, inactions, and circumstances of all parties involved in the matter, and one phenomenon has caught their attention. UEFA officials stated: "The president of the Spanish Football Federation never mentions Barcelona or Negreira by name; he refuses to address anything related to this case."

This aligns with Rubiales's refusal to investigate the scandal, as he has sidestepped the core issue. Florentino Pérez asked Rubiales to take action, to which Rubiales reportedly responded: "Forget about Negreira." UEFA's Ethics Committee has not forgotten the case and will render a decision.

Traduit par IA.

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