Madrid vs. Barcelona: Corruption Allegations
Real Madrid Submits Evidence, Urges UEFA to Sanction Barcelona Over Refereeing Payments
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Key Points
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Florentino Pérez met with UEFA president “recently” to discuss the Negreira matter and hand over “elaborate evidence” aimed at securing punishment for Barcelona, according to Mundo Deportivo’s reporting cited by Yahoo Sports.
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In its UEFA submission, Real Madrid argued the payments created a “systemic risk of utmost severity” because they involved “prolonged, opaque payments lacking any verifiable justification” made via “various corporate structures,” and said the facts point to a “structure of undue influence” over refereeing.
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Real Madrid’s UEFA dossier was described as “roughly 500-page” material, delivered on or around “June 8, 2026,” alleging payments totaling approximately “€7 to €8.4 million” (2001–2018) and urging consideration of title-stripping for that period.
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Madrid contends UEFA cannot delay indefinitely, arguing that it does not have a time-bound “limitation” for disciplinary action in corruption/bribery situations—summed up in the line that “justice delayed is justice denied.”
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The court timeline adds pressure: the initial bribery charges against Barcelona were dismissed in May 2024 because the legal framing (bribing public officials) “didn’t cleanly apply” to Negreira’s role, and by late 2025 prosecutors refiled under “sports corruption and unfair administration” statutes.
Real Madrid has handed UEFA a 500-page dossier demanding sanctions against FC Barcelona over the Negreira case, with club president Florentino Pérez personally meeting UEFA chief Aleksander Čeferin to push for action, according to Yahoo Sports. The dossier, submitted on June 8, 2026, alleges Barcelona made secret payments totaling between €7 million and €8.4 million to José María Enríquez Negreira — the former vice president of Spain's refereeing committee — between 2001 and 2018.
Real Madrid is calling for "firm" and "exemplary" penalties, including the retroactive stripping of up to 23 titles won during that period. Barcelona insists the payments were for legitimate technical reports. UEFA, for its part, has not moved beyond a preliminary investigation opened in 2023 — and officials say they are waiting for Spain's courts to rule first.
A 500-Page Dossier Built to Force UEFA's Hand
Real Madrid filed the dossier at UEFA headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland on June 8, Crypto Briefing reported. The document argues the payments created a "systemic risk of utmost severity." Madrid says Barcelona routed money through "various corporate structures" in a way that was "prolonged, opaque" and lacked "any verifiable justification." The club calls it a "structure of undue influence" over Spanish referees — not a one-off payment.
Pérez submitted the dossier fresh off a landslide re-election as club president, winning 65% to 35% over challenger Enrique Riquelme in June 2026. He has described the Negreira case as "the biggest corruption case in the history of football" and told reporters that "justice delayed is justice denied." Madrid specifically claims referees' bias cost them 16 to 18 points in certain seasons, according to Yahoo Sports.
Why UEFA Has Not Acted Despite Three Years of Pressure
UEFA opened a preliminary investigation back in March 2023 but has taken no disciplinary steps since. The reason, according to legal analysts cited by Yahoo Sports, is straightforward: UEFA is afraid of a massive lawsuit if it punishes Barcelona before a Spanish court issues a final verdict. One analyst put it bluntly — "UEFA is stuck between a political rock and a legal hard place."
The criminal case in Spain has moved slowly and hit detours. In May 2024, a Spanish court threw out the original charges. The legal framing — that Barcelona had bribed a public official — did not fit because Negreira was ruled not to hold public official status. Prosecutors refiled the case in late 2025 under "sports corruption" and "unfair administration" statutes. A Spanish judge formally charged Barcelona as a legal entity with "continuous corporate corruption" on October 28, 2025. UEFA says it will wait for a final ruling.
Barcelona Fights Back With a Counter-Report and Legal Threats
Barcelona has not stayed silent. Club president Joan Laporta calls Madrid's campaign an "unprecedented exercise in cynicism." Barcelona published its own counter-report — titled "100 Matches of the Negreira Era" — arguing that statistical analysis actually shows the club suffered more unfavorable refereeing calls than it gained during the disputed years, according to Yahoo Sports.
Barcelona also filed a formal conciliation request — a legal step that precedes a defamation lawsuit — against Pérez on June 12, 2026, in response to his public accusations. Negreira himself has denied bribery but previously told tax authorities that Barcelona paid for "neutrality" in refereeing — a statement that sits at the heart of the entire dispute.
Title Stripping and a Champions League Ban Loom as Possible Penalties
If UEFA does act, the consequences for Barcelona could be severe. Real Madrid is pushing for the review of 23 trophies — nine La Liga titles, six Copa del Rey wins, and eight Supercopa crowns — won between 2001 and 2018, Crypto Briefing reported. UEFA rules also allow a ban from the Champions League for clubs found to have tried to influence match results.
A Champions League ban would hit Barcelona hard. The club already carries significant debt, and analysts estimate such a ban would cost between €70 million and €100 million per season in lost TV rights and matchday revenue. It could also trigger exit clauses in major player contracts. For now, though, the clock is in Barcelona's hands — the longer Spain's courts take, the longer UEFA waits.
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