Bartomeu Blocks Real Madrid's Attempt to Access Barcelona's Internal Documents in Negreira Case

Josep Maria Bartomeu, the former president of FC Barcelona, has disclosed his involvement in preventing Real Madrid from accessing the club's internal financial documents related to the ongoing "Negreira case."

On December 22, Real Madrid submitted an official request to the Barcelona Court of Instruction No. 1 to review internal documents from FC Barcelona covering the period from 2003 to 2021. However, the request was denied following a legal objection raised by Bartomeu.

Context of the Negreira Case and Ongoing Investigations

The Negreira case involves allegations that Barcelona made payments exceeding €7.3 million to José Maria Negreira, the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees, between 2001 and 2018. Investigations suggest these payments were for advisory services regarding referees, with suspicions that they may have been intended to influence refereeing decisions, allegations that the Catalan club denies.

Bartomeu's Prompt Legal Action

Real Madrid took advantage of the Christmas holiday period to submit its request, which shortened the response time. Consequently, Bartomeu, through his lawyer Josep Maria Foster-Fabra, filed an official objection, arguing that granting access to these documents would disclose confidential information to a direct competitor. On February 2, Judge Alejandra Gil upheld the objection and definitively rejected Real Madrid's request.

Sensitive Information in the Requested Documents

If the request had been approved, Real Madrid could have accessed a wide range of sensitive data, including:
- Detailed financial reports of the club
- Transfer strategies and investment plans
- Development records of the "La Masia" academy
- Tax and legal information
- Sponsorship contract details
- Data related to the "Espai Barça" project
- Notable legal files, such as Neymar's transfer
Barcelona's current president, Joan Laporta, expressed satisfaction with the court's ruling, stating that it "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 as part of the Copa del Rey quarter-finals.

Origins of the Case Linked to Tax Irregularities

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