Barcelona president Joan Laporta launched a scathing attack on Real Madrid, accusing Los Blancos of trying to "discredit Barça" and "harming football" through their insistence on extending the Negreira case.
During the recent international break, UEFA announced that Real Madrid had submitted "a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into Barcelona in the matter involving José María Enríquez Negreira." Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez had promised this move soon after winning the club's presidential elections earlier in the summer.
Barcelona are accused of paying more than €7 million ($7.9 million) in bribes to a company owned by Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish soccer's refereeing committee, in an effort to secure favorable refereeing decisions. The Catalans maintain their innocence and have filed a lawsuit against Pérez.
"On the Negreira case," Laporta said on Saturday, "I've grown tired of saying it but I won't stop making it clear that they tried to condemn us before judging us. Now that they are judging us, it's being shown that there is nothing to what they accused us of and that this will end, as I fully believe, with Barça's acquittal."
"They have relentlessly and constantly tried to discredit us and harm Barça's image and they are going to have to rectify," he continued. "There will be time to speak about this once there's a sentence, but as you know, they are trying to extend this case as much as possible to keep the flame alive. But it's going nowhere. They are trying to discredit Barça, but I don't think they are doing it innocently. They want to harm football."
Laporta Says Real Madrid Are 'Losing Prestige'
Laporta went further, claiming Real Madrid are "losing prestige." "They [Real Madrid] are against everything," he said. "You go to every institution, you go to UEFA, to the Euro League and they are against everything and everyone. This says a lot about the attitude of a team that is losing prestige, recognition and credibility on a national and international level."
"This is just some evidence, the other day I was at the general assembly of the European Football Clubs and they didn't even have representation," Laporta added. "They adopt a very prepotent, overbearing and arrogant attitude and they'll know what they're doing, but this creating them a massive loss of credibility. I think they should analyze and be self-critical about this. Because to me it's completely out of place and improper."
Real Madrid Accused of Trying to Ruin Barça's 'Sweet Moment'
Barcelona have dominated Spanish soccer over the past two years, winning back-to-back La Liga titles plus three other domestic trophies while Real Madrid have won none since Hansi Flick took charge. Under Flick, Barcelona have won six Clásicos to Real Madrid's one, including three wins in finals.
The 2026-27 season has started the same way, with Barcelona unbeaten through nine games in all competitions and already six points clear of an unconvincing Real Madrid. Laporta believes Real Madrid's repeated focus on the Negreira case is a strategy to divert attention from events on the pitch.
"At Madrid they talk about other topics to divert attention," Laporta said. "In that sense, Barça is going through a sweet moment. We are enjoying football, enjoying the club, enjoying a beautiful moment in our history or important worldwide recognition."
"We have nine players that were in the squad of the World Cup champion, we have a team that makes people fall in love with their football, players at certain positions that are a reference in the football world. We receive praise from everywhere. From Madrid they are trying to minimize all of this," he added.
It remains unknown when UEFA will reach a final verdict on the Negreira case, with the two clubs' first meeting of the season less than a month away.
