Laporta says Barcelona will explain referee payments

The president has spoken out about the scandal

 Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said the club will provide a full explanation about payments to a company owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreir, the vice-president of the Technical Committee of Referees in Spain.

An investigation has uncovered that Barca paid around €1.4m to Negreir between 2016 and 2018. The payments aren’t in doubt, but it’s very unclear as to what Barcelona what getting for their money.

La Liga president Javier Tebas has said Laporta should resign if he can’t provide a full explanation which has seen the Barca president hit back angrily.

“These works were done with the corresponding invoice and have the corresponding documentary and video support of some services that had been provided. Shortly, in the shortest possible time, we will hold a press conference to explain all the information we have in the club about this whole issue,” he said.

“Mr. Tebas has once again shown his face. They already told us that he was fomenting a campaign against Barca and myself. The mask has already been removed again.

“In his career he has already shown his anti-Barcelona tendencies, in 2005 he no longer wanted Messi to play for Barca. He is obsessed with Barca. He does not forgive us for the fact that we did not sign the agreement with CVC and that we are in the Super League. He wants me to stop being president of Barca. It is not a coincidence that we are doing well now.”

La Liga clubs have already called on the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) to try and find out exactly what’s been going on amid the allegations aimed at Barcelona.

An explanation from the club what would be very welcome indeed at this point.