Prosecutor’s office supports Real Madrid to appear in the ‘Negreira case’

The Barcelona Prosecutor’s Office has given its approval for Real Madrid to appear as a private prosecutor in the ‘Negreira case’, the corruption scandal that involves Barcelona and two of its former presidents, Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The case is based on the alleged payments made by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira, who was the vice-president of the Spanish football federation’s Referee Technical Committee (CTA) between 1994 and 2018. According to the prosecution, Negreira received €7.3 million from Barcelona in exchange for influencing the refereeing decisions in favor of the Catalan club.

Real Madrid, as one of the main rivals and victims of Barcelona’s alleged scheme, requested to join the case as a private prosecutor last month, after holding an urgent board meeting to decide the actions they deemed appropriate. The club argued that they had a legitimate interest in defending the integrity and fairness of the competitions, as well as their own reputation and honor.

The Prosecutor’s Office has agreed with Real Madrid’s petition and has issued a report supporting their admission to the case. The report states that Real Madrid has a direct and personal interest in the outcome of the case, as they could have been harmed by Barcelona’s actions. The report also highlights that Real Madrid’s participation could contribute to the clarification of the facts and the discovery of the truth.

The final decision on whether to accept Real Madrid’s request will be made by the judge in charge of the case, who will also have to hear the opinion of Barcelona and the other defendants. If Real Madrid is admitted to the case, they will have access to all the evidence and documents gathered by the investigation, and they will be able to propose new measures and actions.

The ‘Negreira case’ is one of the biggest scandals to hit Spanish football in recent history and could have serious consequences for Barcelona and its former presidents. The club faces charges of corruption, fraud and unfair administration, while Rosell and Bartomeu could face prison sentences if found guilty.