Spanish prosecutors have filed corruption charges against Barca. In recent Barca news, former club presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu, have been arrested over alleged payments made to former vice president of the refereeing committee, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
However, recent reports from Spain have suggested that there may be a lack of crucial evidence to support the accusations of ‘continuous sporting corruption’ against the Catalan club.
While prosecutors allege that Barça made payments to Negreira in exchange for insider information about match officials and their potential appointments, current club president Joan Laporta has maintained that the club only requested ‘technical reports about referees’.
Joan Laporta defends Barcelona
In response to the charges, Laporta has been vocal in defending Barcelona’s reputation and values, stating that “we’re a club with values. We use the word ‘values’, not to sound good, but because they’re a fundamental part of our model of sporting excellence. The feeling at Barcelona doesn’t get dirty and we will defend the club with all our might.”
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Javier Tebas, the president of La Liga, has criticized Joan Laporta’s statements. Barca News stories have featured Javier Tebas needlessly criticizing Barcelona in recent times. In a recent interview, Tebas expressed his dismay at the allegations of corruption, stating that “I feel ashamed. I can’t remember a time when such an institutional crisis took place. For now, there’s still no explanation… Not only is Barca’s reputation in jeopardy, but also the competition.”
However, despite the charges filed against Barca, news reports from Spain have suggested that there may be a lack of key evidence to support the accusations of corruption. While prosecutors allege that Negreira received roughly €7m from Barça between 2001 and 2018 in exchange for insider information, there are doubts over whether this evidence will be enough to prove wrongdoing on the part of the Catalan club. However, the Spanish courts have given the green light for an investigation into the allegations of ‘continuous sporting corruption’ against Barcelona.
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Conclusion
It remains to be seen what impact the alleged corruption investigation will have on Barcelona’s reputation and sporting achievements. However, Laporta’s insistence that the club will defend itself against the accusations with all its might shows that the current president is determined to protect the values that he believes have made Barcelona one of the most successful clubs in football history.
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