Real Madrid has issued an official statement addressing the ongoing “Negreira Case,” calling on UEFA to take disciplinary action and reopen proceedings linked to the long-running investigation involving former Spanish refereeing official José María Enríquez Negreira.
Barça paid companies linked to José María Enríquez Negreira more than €7 million between 2001 and 2018. The Spanish champions have always maintained that the money was in exchange for “technical reports on referees and refereeing,” denying buying match officials.
In a communication sent to UEFA’s disciplinary bodies, Real Madrid said it has presented what it describes as “relevant evidence” reinforcing existing concerns about alleged long-term payments made by FC Barcelona to companies linked to Negreira, who previously served as vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees of the Royal Spanish Football Federation.
Real Madrid claims the payments were “opaque and lacking verifiable justification,” and argues that they raise serious questions about the integrity of competition in Spanish football.
According to the club, the matter represents a “systemic risk of maximum gravity” to sporting fairness, citing concerns about neutrality, impartiality, and the unpredictability of match outcomes. They argue that such issues, if proven, undermine trust in football institutions and the credibility of the game.
The club has therefore urged UEFA to immediately resume its disciplinary investigation, which was previously opened but not fully concluded. Real Madrid expressed concern that the situation has continued over time without what they consider a decisive sporting response.
They insist that while legal proceedings are ongoing in Spain, football’s governing bodies also have an independent responsibility to assess whether any breaches of sporting regulations have occurred.
Real Madrid further stressed that their request does not seek to replace judicial processes but to ensure that UEFA applies its own disciplinary standards where necessary. The club stated that football authorities must act to protect the integrity of European competitions.
The statement also confirms that Real Madrid is actively involved in the ongoing criminal proceedings in Spain as a private party, and will continue to pursue all legal actions available throughout the process.
Reaffirming their position, the club said it remains committed to defending fairness and transparency in sport and will continue to support measures aimed at safeguarding the credibility of football competitions.
Madrid’s decision to push for action to be taken against their Clásico rivals comes after the relationship between the two clubs soured earlier this year following the breakdown of the European Super League project, which they had been working on together.
