Barcelona president Joan Laporta has hit out at Florentino Perez after the Real Madrid chief reignited accusations over the Negreira case during his latest assembly speech. Perez linked Barca’s historic success to payments made to the former refereeing vice-president, prompting a fierce response as Laporta accused Madrid of “obsession” and weekly attempts to influence referees in a fiery escalation of the long-running rivalry.
Perez reignites Negreira accusations as tensions explode again
Madrid president Perez reopened the Negreira controversy, using his most recent Assembly intervention to once again question Barcelona’s integrity and imply historic refereeing corruption. His comments immediately triggered a new wave of tension between the two giants at a time when La Liga’s title race is heating up.
Perez referenced charts, statistics and historic disciplinary data as he accused the Catalan giants of benefiting from improper influence between 2001 and 2018, the 17-year period in which Barca were alleged to have paid €8.4 million to former refereeing vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
He outlined his stance bluntly in front of club members: "It’s not normal that Barcelona has paid the vice president of referees more than €8m for at least 17 years, whatever the reason," Perez denounced before the members. "I repeat: whatever the reason, it’s not normal."
He continued to say that Enriquez Negreira held "a key position in the refereeing hierarchy," responsible for referee promotions and demotions. "A period that coincides, coincidentally, with Barcelona’s best sporting results in our country," added Perez.
The Los Blancos president also presented numerical data to justify his argument: "Real Madrid had a net balance of two red cards in 2021,” he explained. "And Barcelona, 61 red cards. That’s a difference of no less than 59. On the other hand, during the same period, the balance in Europe is almost identical: +12 for Barca and +13 for Madrid."
These remarks set the stage for a fierce response, one Laporta delivered within hours during an institutional visit to Andorra.
AdvertisementAFPLaporta blasts ‘obsession’ and accuses Madrid of weekly referee pressure
Laporta responded forcefully, framing Madrid’s approach as a long-standing campaign to undermine Barcelona’s achievements. He opened with a direct attack: "Now that I remember the statements made at the Madrid Assembly, which I haven't had a chance to comment on, and now that I'm in Andorra I'll address them. I think they're out of line; they reveal Madrid's obsession with Barca. It seems they have to talk about Barca to justify who knows what. They're constantly involved in the legal proceedings of the 'Negreira Case,' which they're dragging out like chewing gum because they know there's nothing to it, but it's a way of justifying something that isn't true: Barca has never bribed referees, and referees generally don't favor Barca; they've always favored Madrid."
The Barca president then escalated his criticism by accusing Madrid of manipulating public opinion through media channels: "If they're caught up in this 'Barcelona-itis,' I'm delighted, because these are usually times when Barca is successful and triumphant. Real Madrid's television channel is trying to influence referees every week."
His defiant message reflected a club determined not to let Madrid control the narrative, especially with legal proceedings and media pressure intensifying around the Negreira case.
A rivalry torn open as Laporta cites officiating controversies
Laporta also referenced Los Blancos' recent 2-2 draw at Elche, pointing to two controversial goals involving Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. as evidence of what he sees as favorable treatment. He argued that Madrid benefited from decisions that should never have stood: "Just last week, Real Madrid scored two goals that, in my opinion, clearly involved Bellingham handling the ball, and in the other, Vinicius broke Inaki Pena's nose. Those two goals shouldn't have stood, and Barca would be leading the league now."
The Barca president then returned to a historical perspective, insisting Madrid’s accusations were rooted in resentment for Barcelona’s most successful era: "They have a persecution complex against the best period in Barca's history. They didn't like that Barca was the world's leading team from 2004 to 2015, when Barca was dominant, and they're trying to find excuses that lead nowhere. We were the team that played the best football, recognised, admired, and esteemed for what we gave, recognised for what we did, and admired for how we did it. We won many titles, and Barca's style of play was admired all over the world, so don't make excuses."
AFPA new chapter in the Madrid-Barca divide
The fallout adds another layer of turbulence to a rivalry already stretched by Super League disagreements, legal battles, and constant refereeing disputes. Barcelona's leadership is adamant the Negreira case will not tarnish their legacy, while Madrid insist questions must be asked.
With the La Liga title race entering a decisive phase and both clubs preparing for crucial fixtures, domestic and European, the political war between the presidents is likely to continue running parallel to events on the pitch. Laporta’s final message was clear: Barcelona will not be intimidated, and they believe Madrid’s growing fixation only proves their continued relevance.
