Barcelona President Laporta insists club never bought referees

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
7 Mar 23:40

Barcelona President Joan Laporta says there is a campaign to damage the club's interests.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta (Reuters)

Barcelona President Joan Laporta on Tuesday insisted that his club has never "bought referees" amid investigations into payments made to a former refereeing chief over several years.

The Catalan side paid a reported 6.5 million euros ($6.9 million) between 2001 and 2018 to a company owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA) in Spain, for what they said was advice on refereeing matters.

Spanish prosecutors are investigating the payments and Spanish newspaper El Pais said on Tuesday it intends to report Barcelona for "continued sporting corruption."

"Let it be clear Barca have never bought referees and Barca have never had the intention of buying referees, absolutely never," stressed Laporta at an event in Barcelona.

He pointed out that "the forcefulness of the facts contradicts those who try to change the story. We are doing well again -- nothing is chance."

Laporta previously criticized La Liga President Javier Tebas for "pushing a campaign" against him and hinted at it again, saying, "There is a campaign to damage Barça's interests."

He continued, "It is a campaign aimed at controlling the club. La Liga does not accept that Barça did not sign the contract with CVC (a collective media rights deal)."

Elsewhere, Laporta revealed that he was considering offering coach Xavi Hernandez a contract extension, with the team currently nine points clear at the top of La Liga, on course for their first league title since 2019. Xavi's existing deal expires in June 2024.

"He's a man who doesn't stretch his arm out beyond his sleeve, he doesn't ask for crazy things and he understands the club's (financial) situation, I have considered Xavi's renewal," the Barcelona president said.