Former Barcelona President Blocks Real Madrid's Access to Club Documents in Negreira Investigation

Josep Maria Bartomeu, the former president of FC Barcelona, confirmed that he actively intervened to prevent Real Madrid from accessing the club's internal financial documents related to the ongoing "Negreira case."

On December 22, Real Madrid filed an official request with Investigative Court No. 1 in Barcelona, seeking to examine internal documents from FC Barcelona spanning 2003 to 2021. This request was ultimately rejected following a legal objection spearheaded by Bartomeu.

Background of the Negreira Case and Ongoing Investigations

The Negreira case centers on allegations that FC Barcelona paid over €7.3 million to Jose Maria Negreira, the former vice president of the Technical Arbitration Committee, from 2001 to 2018. Investigations suggest these payments were made for verbal consultations regarding referees, with suspicions that they may have been intended to influence officiating decisions, a claim that Barcelona has denied.

Swift Legal Action by Bartomeu

Capitalizing on the Christmas holiday period, Real Madrid submitted its request, which limited the time available for a response. In turn, Bartomeu, through his attorney Josep Maria Foster-Fabra, filed an objection, arguing that granting Real Madrid access to the documents would compromise confidential information belonging to a direct competitor. On February 2, Judge Alejandra Gil upheld this objection and definitively rejected Real Madrid's request.

Sensitive Information Was Among the Requested Documents

If the request had been approved, Real Madrid would have gained access to a variety of sensitive information, including:
detailed financial reports of the club
contract strategies and investment plans
files related to the development of the "La Masia" academy
tax and legal information
sponsorship contract details
data concerning the "Espai Barca" project
notable legal files such as Neymar's transfer case
Laporta Welcomes the Judicial Decision
Following the court ruling, current Barcelona president Joan Laporta expressed his approval, stating that the court has effectively "closed the door" on Real Madrid's attempt to access the club's internal documents. Laporta made these remarks while attending a match in Albacete, where Barcelona played in the quarter-finals of the Copa del Rey.

The Case's Origins Relate to Tax Violations

The origins of the Negreira case date back to 2023, when Spanish tax authorities uncovered financial irregularities associated with a company owned by Negreira between 2016 and 2018, prompting ongoing investigations.