Barcelona faces a potential expulsion from European competition as the state prosecutor’s office in Catalonia has filed corruption charges against the club and its former presidents, Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell.
The charges relate to the alleged payment of 8.4 million euros to former Spanish Judicial Commission Vice President, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira and his company between 2001 and 2018. In exchange, Negreira allegedly ensured that referees officiated in favor of Barcelona.
The club has been charged with “corruption, falsification of official documents, and breach of trust” by the state prosecutor’s office. The prosecution alleges that Barcelona entered into a confidential agreement with Negreira, granting them a privileged status with the referees.
If found guilty, Barcelona’s reputation and eligibility for European competitions could be in jeopardy. Even without a verdict, UEFA may choose to ban the club from participating in European Cups due to the seriousness of the charges. This outcome could occur if UEFA determines that the presence of an accused club would damage the reputation of its competitions.
