The Higher Sports Council (CSD) has announced this Monday that it has appeared before the Investigating Court number 1 of Barcelona for the Negreira case, which revealed the alleged payments by FC Barcelona to José María Enriquez Negreira, former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees .
CSD sources have confirmed that this body chaired by José Manuel Franco has presented a "form of appearance" before the aforementioned court. The Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office has assumed the investigation of this matter because it could be related to corruption crimes of special importance.
Weeks ago, Franco already made the CSD's position clear and assured that the case would end up in the Supreme Court. “The process goes on for a long time when entering criminal proceedings. I'm afraid it will go to the Supreme Court. But I am worried about what UEFA will do (it could exclude the club from the Champions League). I am worried about the Barcelona player, to whom his president should give convincing explanations as soon as possible. I believe in the honesty of the referees, and that this has been an exception. It also seems that they sold some smoke to Barça ”, assured the president of the CSD.
The CSD joins other institutions such as LaLiga or the RFEF, which have already taken part in the case. In addition, Barcelona itself sent a letter to UEFA and FIFA to explain the case. These organizations already have in their possession a document in which Laporta justifies these payments by the Barça club between 2001 and 2018, which amounted to more than seven million euros. In spite of everything, exemplary punishments are not ruled out in the future.
