Real Madrid has escalated its involvement in the ongoing Negreira case by formally requesting full access to FC Barcelona’s financial records related to the investigation. The club’s move aims to examine the internal and external documentation surrounding payments made to former referee official Jose Mara Enriquez Negreira and associated companies.
The request was disclosed by former top-flight referee Xavier Estrada Fernandez, who is participating as a private prosecutor in the proceedings. In filings submitted to a Barcelona court, Real Madrid asked to review all audits, due diligence exercises, and forensic financial assessments conducted between 2010 and 2021. The filing specifically references work carried out by major firms, including KPMG, PwC, Deloitte, and Kroll.
Real Madrid’s submission seeks access to over 600 documents that Barcelona provided to the court in July 2023. These include financial explanations, supporting materials, and records submitted during the investigative phase of the case. The club has also requested disclosure of Barcelona’s internal investigation into the payments, including preliminary and final reports, summaries or records of interviews, and any internal compliance or governance checks.
The club’s objective is to determine not only the total payments but also how they were authorised and justified within Barcelona, and whether proper procedures were followed. Additional material requested includes annual financial statements, internal audits identifying payments to Negreira-linked companies, legal communications between Barcelona and representatives of the former referee official, and specific witness testimony.
Gist of Negreira case
Notably, the Negreira case concerns over 7 million euros in payments made by Barcelona between 2001 and 2018 to Negreira, a former vice-president of Spain’s Technical Committee of Referees. While the judicial process continues and no sporting sanctions have been imposed, the case has sparked wider scrutiny over transparency, governance, and accountability in Spanish football.
Real Madrid’s stance has grown increasingly assertive, reflecting a determination to see the investigation through to its conclusion. Club president Florentino Prez has publicly highlighted the severity of the situation.