Former FC Barcelona presidents testify in Negreira case

Two former FC Barcelona presidents testified in court on Thursday at Barcelona’s Palace of Justice.

Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu are under investigation in connection with alleged corruption involving former referee José María Enríquez Negreira.

The judge is examining the reasons behind payments totaling €7.5 million made to Negreira between 2001 and 2018. At the time, Negreira was vice president of the Spanish Referees’ Technical Committee (CTA).

Rosell arrived at court around 10.30 am, amid heavy media attention. The former president, who led the club between 2010 and 2014, left nearly an hour and a half after testifying without making any comments.

Bartomeu arrived at midday and also departed over an hour after giving his testimony. Addressing the press afterwards, he defended his version of why the payments were made, denying any referee benefits for the team.

"Barça paid for sports consultancy, referee advice, and there were reports and documentation, which is why the payments were made," he said. "Many of the theories that have emerged over the past two years have largely been dispelled today."

Their testimonies coincided with those of Enríquez Negreira’s son, Javier Enríquez, and Negreira's wife, Ana Paula Rufas, who are also implicated in the case.

These hearings come more than two years after prosecutors first filed a complaint that led to the opening of the investigation. Authorities suspect the payments were intended to secure favorable treatment from referees.

Barcelona has consistently denied the allegations, maintaining that the payments were for detailed reports analyzing referees’ profiles and tendencies ahead of matches.