According to Diario AS, four months ago, Real Madrid submitted approximately 50,000 pages of documents related to the Negreira case to UEFA headquarters in Nyon, demanding further investigation and penalties against Barcelona, including the stripping of titles won between 2001 and 2017. Currently, the Spanish court investigation and witness testimony are nearing completion, while UEFA continues reviewing the documents.

The Manchester City case, involving allegations of breaching Premier League financial rules, is fundamentally different from Barcelona's payments to Negreira, the former deputy chairman of Spain's refereeing committee. However, both cases have attracted attention beyond their respective national football systems. The disciplinary procedures in the Manchester City case have also drawn scrutiny regarding how Spanish football will handle the Negreira matter.

Manchester City faces 114 financial rules breaches, but the final verdict and sanctions have not yet been announced. The charges relate to the club's activities from 2009 to 2018, with key questions including whether accurate financial information was provided to the Premier League to allow fair assessment of all clubs' financial positions. The case also involves five UEFA financial fair play regulations. In 2020, UEFA banned Manchester City from European competitions for two seasons and fined them €30 million for sponsorship revenue disclosure violations. After Manchester City appealed, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) overturned the competition ban but upheld and reduced the fine.

The Negreira case, however, involves both legal proceedings and sports disciplinary action. Four months ago, Real Madrid submitted approximately 50,000 pages of documents to UEFA headquarters in Nyon with additional details and supplementary information on the matter, hoping UEFA would continue investigating. Real Madrid demanded that Barcelona be punished and stripped of titles won between 2001 and 2017. Currently, the Spanish court investigation and witness testimony are nearing completion, while UEFA continues reviewing the documents. UEFA previously suspended consideration of Barcelona's European competition eligibility while reserving the right to reopen proceedings and make a decision in the future.

Meanwhile, some English clubs are preparing to assess potential financial losses they may have suffered due to Manchester City's actions and are considering pursuing compensation through legal channels. Given the implications of the Negreira case, similar compensation claims cannot be ruled out in Spain, although some official bodies have downplayed the matter's significance. The allegations in the Negreira case are distinct. Barcelona must answer charges that it paid individuals linked to the refereeing system in an attempt to influence match outcomes—allegations Barcelona denies. There has been considerable commentary describing this as "the most serious incident in professional sports worldwide."

Because the related actions exceeded the statute of limitations for Spanish sports disciplinary procedures, Spanish sports authorities cannot take action. However, the criminal case remains ongoing. UEFA's procedures are also not yet concluded. UEFA had awaited court decisions, but now that Real Madrid has submitted approximately 50,000 pages of documents, it is demanding immediate initiation of disciplinary procedures.

If the Manchester City case can be tried through sports disciplinary procedures in England, why cannot the Negreira case be handled similarly in Spain? Should Real Madrid continue pushing this matter, or should the relevant Spanish authorities have been more proactive?

UEFA is also monitoring progress in the Manchester City case, with a final verdict potentially months away. Relegation and points deduction are among possible penalties. If Manchester City is punished by the Premier League, other clubs may continue pursuing compensation claims for economic damages caused, with far-reaching consequences.

The Negreira case more directly concerns league integrity and sports ethics. Under Article 7 of UEFA's relevant regulations, even the intent to alter the normal course of competition could affect Barcelona's eligibility for European competitions. Individuals who have worked in disciplinary committees believe this course of action remains available; if pursued, it would also help address the case's impact on league integrity. UEFA previously chose to wait for further developments, and now Real Madrid has submitted additional documents. If Spanish football takes the seriousness of this matter seriously, Barcelona could also face sports disciplinary consequences. Similarly, Juventus was relegated in 2006 for influencing referee appointments and played in Serie B during the 2006-07 season. At that time, there was no evidence that Juventus had paid anyone, but referee assignments had been interfered with.

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