Real Madrid has handed UEFA a roughly 500-page dossier alleging that FC Barcelona engaged in systematic corruption through secret payments to José María Enríquez Negreira, the former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees. The submission, delivered on or around June 8, 2026, asks European football’s governing body to consider stripping Barcelona of titles won during the alleged period of corruption, which spans from 2001 to 2018.
What’s in the dossier
The core allegation is straightforward, even if the details are anything but. Real Madrid claims Barcelona funneled approximately €7 to €8.4 million to companies linked to Negreira over the 17-year period. Negreira held a position of significant influence as vice-president of the body responsible for appointing and evaluating referees in Spanish football.
Barcelona has maintained that the payments were for legitimate consulting services related to refereeing analysis and scouting. Prosecutors, however, argue the payments may have created conflicts of interest that could have influenced match outcomes, even without established evidence of direct bribery.
Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez has framed the entire affair as a matter of sporting integrity, a theme he has reportedly emphasized following his re-election.
