March 23, (THEWILL) – UEFA has launched an investigation into allegations that Barcelona made payments to a company owned by a former top referee.
The claims date back to 2001 and total payments are said to exceed €7million. The Catalan giants have been accused of paying Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira’s business, DASNIL 95 SL, for written reports and DVD assessments of referees before games.
The investigation has been sparked by a corruption complaint filed against Barcelona by Spanish prosecutors. UEFA has now appointed Ethics and Disciplinary inspectors to investigate the potential violation of its legal framework by FC Barcelona.
The club’s president, Joan Laporta, denies any wrongdoing and maintains that the allegations are an attempt to destabilise the La Liga leaders, who currently lead the Spanish elite division by a massive 12 points.
UEFA has yet to release further information regarding the investigation. Barcelona are facing the possibility of severe disciplinary action if the allegations are proven to be true.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
