La Liga and an executive committee of its clubs have published a statement expressing their ‘deep concern’ about the Negreira Case.
Fourteen clubs from the first and second tiers of Spanish football and La Liga itself, forming a delegate committee, say they “reject and condemn” the facts of the case, in which Barcelona made payments to former Spanish referee chief Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
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La Liga then released a public statement on Tuesday, explaining that it had sent a letter to the Public Prosecutor’s Office, communicated with relevant authorities and undertaken “more actions that LaLiga believes should not be made public at this time in order not to prejudice the investigation”.
La Liga president Javier Tebas had said last week that Barcelona would not face a points deduction or other sporting sanctions from his organisation over the Negreira Case.
The statement on Tuesday read: “Yesterday, during the divisional meeting, the majority of LaLiga clubs expressed their deep concern about this case, which they consider to be of the utmost seriousness, so the proposal for a joint statement received the unanimous support of all LaLiga SmartBank clubs and all LaLiga Santander clubs except for two, who objected to this joint statement for different reasons.
“LaLiga and the clubs Executive Committee reject and condemn the facts, and are deeply concerned and actively working to clarify any irregularities that may have occurred around the Negreira case, whether of a sporting or any other nature.
“LaLiga is following this matter very closely and will act firmly within the powers and limits allowed by law.”
The payments from Barcelona to Negreira were made between 2016 and 2018 and Barcelona say they were for video and technical reports from Negreira, who at the time was working for the Comite Tecnico de Arbitro (CTA) — the body responsible for officiating in Spain.
Sevilla were the first La Liga club to publicly issue a statement on the matter. On Tuesday they requested that “LaLiga and the RFEF (the Spanish FA, which oversees the CTA) clarify the situation and promote and participate in all proceedings stemming from the ‘Negreira case’”. Espanyol followed with a similar statement shortly after.
(Photo: Getty Images)
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