Barcelona face European sanctions decision only after Spanish court ruling in Negreira case

UEFA has confirmed that it has received a substantial set of documents from Real Madrid related to its ongoing investigation into Barcelona and the Negreira case.

The governing body said on Thursday that its ethics and disciplinary inspectors had also received the new material and would assess it as part of their existing analysis.

UEFA opened preliminary proceedings in 2023 to gather information about the case, but those proceedings remain open. The organisation has decided that it must first establish the outcome of the criminal proceedings before the Spanish courts, which it regards as the higher judicial authority responsible for the matter.

No decision on possible disciplinary action against Barcelona will be made unless the Spanish judiciary establishes that sporting corruption took place.

The case became public on 15 February 2023, after Radio Barcelona, part of the Cadena SER network, reported that the public prosecutor’s office was investigating alleged irregularities connected with declarations made by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira to the tax authorities.

UEFA said its inspectors would add the documents supplied by Real Madrid to the evidence already held in the case. Barcelona has previously provided all the information requested by UEFA, which appointed two inspectors to follow the matter.

The European body had two other possible courses of action. It could have opened a separate case or withdrawn from the proceedings, but it has chosen neither option. Instead, it will continue its existing review with the additional documents included.

The investigation centres on payments involving Negreira, a former vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees, although the UEFA process is dependent on the outcome of the Spanish criminal case before any potential sporting sanctions can be considered.

UEFA’s brief statement was issued under its president, Aleksander Ceferin, and made clear that the information from Real Madrid had been incorporated into the inquiry rather than triggering a new disciplinary file.

There is a sense of calm at Barcelona after it became clear that UEFA had opted simply to add Real Madrid’s material to the dossier it had already opened. The club therefore faces no immediate disciplinary decision from UEFA while the Spanish judicial process continues.

The timing of any European ruling remains linked to the conclusion of the proceedings before the Spanish courts. Until a finding of sporting corruption is made there, UEFA will not determine whether disciplinary measures against Barcelona are warranted.