UEFA reopens Negreira case investigation after Real Madrid complaint

UEFA has officially reopened its investigation into the Negreira case following a substantial complaint submitted by Real Madrid. The club confirmed that European football's governing body has received extensive documentation regarding the €8.4 million paid by Barcelona to José María Enríquez Negreira between 2001 and 2018.

UEFA has confirmed the receipt of the complaint filed by Real Madrid C.F. and the continuation of the investigation concerning payments made over the past two decades by F.C. Barcelona to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees. Real Madrid

In a public statement, Madrid demanded a swift resolution, noting that the evidence provided details events of extraordinary seriousness that directly affect the integrity of the competition. The club committed to continuing its active collaboration with UEFA to ensure that events deemed incompatible with the principles of fair play are clarified.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin had previously described the situation as extremely serious, marking it as one of the gravest issues he has encountered in football. While the matter is time-barred at the domestic LaLiga level, UEFA maintains that its own disciplinary proceedings are not subject to such limitations.

The governing body will now thoroughly analyze the provided evidence and gather statements from all involved parties, including official submissions from Barcelona. Should the disciplinary committee find concrete evidence of attempts to distort competitive integrity, the Catalan side faces the potential for unprecedented sporting sanctions, including a ban from European competition.