Tebas calls out Laporta again over Negreira payments: “Must explain to all clubs”

Even as we approach the final phase of the ongoing 2022/23 campaign, the Negreira issue refuses to leave Barcelona.

The club have appeared very quiet on the allegations, which claim that the club had paid around €7 million to Enriquez Negreira, the former vice-president of the referee’s committee, for additional insights and even result manipulation.

Although the Prosecutor’s Office in Spain has found no evidence against Barcelona, La Liga president Javier Tebas has refused to move on from the issue, and was even involved in coercing UEFA to launch their own investigation.

Tebas has once again called out Joan Laporta on Twitter, urging the Barcelona president to break his silence on the issue and explain the payments to Negreira in a La Liga meeting later this month.

An assembly will be held with all the 20 teams in the Spanish top flight on April 19, where the Negreira investigation is going to be discussed thoroughly.

“Laporta must explain to all clubs the payments to Negreira, he will have the opportunity to do so at the LaLiga meeting on April 19,” Tebas said.

This comes after Barcelona asked for Tebas’ resignation from the La Liga President’s post after it emerged that he had given false evidence to the prosecution with regard to the Negreira case.

Barça have maintained that the club have not been involved in any result manipulation, despite strict opposition from La Liga.

Tebas, though, refuses to budge. Not to mention, UEFA’s own investigation over the issue will likely conclude within the next four to six weeks meaning it will not have to wait until the end of the season.

UEFA has issued a warning against Barcelona, claiming that the situation is very serious. The club leaders, though, are confident that they can put forth evidence and information that will support their stance.

We can expect a lot of noise surrounding the Negreira case to be looked after in the month of April, though the issue might continue to trouble Barça well beyond the coming summer.