With both Barcelona and Man City facing media crises, The Telegraph has published an article suggesting that Guardiola is navigating difficult circumstances. Not only are his achievements at Man City being scrutinized, but his successes at Barcelona are also coming under external examination. Below is the full translation of the article.

UEFA has received new documentation alleging that Barcelona paid 8.4 million euros to a former Vice President of Spain's refereeing committee.

While Pep Guardiola's managerial legacy at Man City faces mounting scrutiny, his achievements at Barcelona may also come into question. It has not been an easy week for the 55-year-old manager: he has publicly backed Man City's owner in his dispute with the Premier League, but has remained silent on the latest developments in the Negreira scandal that has rocked Spain.

The scandal concerns allegations that Barcelona paid 8.4 million euros (approximately 7.2 million pounds) to José María Enríquez Negreira, a former Vice President of Spain's refereeing committee, between 2001 and 2018, during a period when Guardiola was Barcelona's head coach from 2008 to 2012.

UEFA has been investigating these payments since 2023; on Thursday, the European football governing body announced it had received new documentation related to the case.

Who provided these documents? None other than Barcelona's arch-rivals, Real Madrid. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez warned earlier this year that his club had been gathering evidence and investigating what he called "the biggest scandal in history." It appears his file has now been submitted.

"Barcelona is innocent."

In a statement, Real Madrid said: "The complaint filed by our club contains substantial documentation and evidence concerning extremely serious irregularities that directly affect the integrity of the competition and confidence in the refereeing system."

Barcelona has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming the payments to Negreira were for scouting and technical reports. In 2023, Barcelona president Joan Laporta stated: "Let me be clear: Barcelona has never bought a referee, and Barcelona has never intended to buy a referee, absolutely not."

These payments initially came to light following a tax investigation into Negreira's company, Dasnil 95. Due to the timing of these payments, La Liga cannot open its own investigation as the statute of limitations has expired.

Guardiola stated in 2023: "When a ruling is made, I will tell you what I think. Barcelona is innocent, Laporta is innocent, unless there is evidence to the contrary."

Speaking about his Barcelona team, which won the Champions League in 2009 and 2011, Guardiola added that they "won every title" because they "were far superior to our opponents."

UEFA stated that the documentation provided by Real Madrid is "of value" and confirmed that its investigators will assess it as part of the "ongoing review."

Barcelona's response to Real Madrid's involvement was a clear statement that no new proceedings have been initiated against them.

The club stated: "UEFA's statement confirms the receipt of the documentation submitted by Real Madrid and indicates that investigators will assess it within the framework of the ongoing investigation."

"The same document explicitly refers to investigations and reviews that are 'ongoing' in two places. Therefore, it does not announce the commencement, resumption, or reopening of any proceedings, nor does it make any assessment of the nature or value of the documentation provided."

"The investigators will determine what action, if any, they deem appropriate regarding this documentation. To date, they have made no new requests of FC Barcelona, nor have they forwarded Real Madrid's complaint to the club. Should they do so, the club will respond accordingly, as it has done to date."

If Barcelona is found to have engaged in "any activity aimed at manipulating or influencing the outcome of a match," the club could face a ban from the Champions League.

What is more concerning for Guardiola is that, whether justified or not, any ruling against his former club could tarnish his achievements during his time at Camp Nou. With his current club, Man City, still embroiled in controversy, the timing of these latest developments could hardly be worse.

The same applies to Man City Chief Executive Ferran Soriano, who is also in a difficult position. Soriano held senior positions at Barcelona from 2003 to 2008 before joining Man City in 2012.

Another figure who held key roles at both clubs is Txiki Begiristain, who was Barcelona's technical director before becoming Man City's director of football until his departure in 2025.

There are currently no indications of any personal misconduct by Guardiola, Soriano, or Begiristain.

Website AF đã ra mắt! Xem tin tức đầy đủ, bình luận, chi tiết trận đấu và thống kê trên máy tính. Truy cập: www.allfootballapp.com