‘Barcelona did not pay referees’ — LaLiga president clears the air on accusations

La Liga president Javier Tebas has strongly denied claims that Barcelona paid referees in the ongoing Negreira case.

Speaking amid continued scrutiny, Tebas insisted that while the matter remains under legal investigation, accusations of referee-buying are unfounded.

The Negreira case, which first came to light over three years ago, centres on payments made by Barcelona to former CTA vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira. While investigations are ongoing, Tebas stressed that the league was the first to report the issue to the prosecutor’s office, not Real Madrid.

“We are in a state of law and the rules are what they are,” Tebas said. “But what is also clear is that Barcelona did not pay referees as the story seems to build.”

He acknowledged that sporting sanctions and criminal proceedings are separate matters, adding that the justice system will ultimately determine whether any criminal wrongdoing occurred.

Tebas also rejected suggestions that controversial refereeing decisions, including those involving Vinicius Junior, were linked to the case, as suggested by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.

More than two years after the Prosecutor’s Office formally took on the case, no final ruling has been delivered.

Barcelona maintain their innocence, while Real Madrid have been actively involved in pushing the process.

For now, all stakeholders, including LaLiga, Barcelona and their rivals, remain in limbo as Spain’s judicial system continues its examination of the case.