FC Barcelona has filed a lawsuit against Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, accusing him of slander connected to the ongoing Negreira scandal. The Catalan club stated it will escalate to a criminal complaint if Pérez refuses to retract statements alleging Barcelona manipulated refereeing decisions to win La Liga titles.
Vice President Rafa Yuste confirmed the legal strategy, noting that Barcelona’s legal team is actively reviewing Pérez’s comments for defamation. This action marks a strategic shift for Barcelona, moving from a defensive posture regarding past payments to an offensive legal stance against institutional criticism.
The dispute stems from payments Barcelona made to José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice president of Spain’s referee committee, between 2001 and 2018. While Barcelona maintains these funds covered legitimate scouting and technical reports, Spanish authorities continue to investigate potential corruption. No judicial ruling has yet determined whether the transactions constituted bribery or professional consulting.
Pérez recently secured re-election as Real Madrid president before making the contested remarks. By suing a rival executive, Barcelona aims to control the narrative surrounding the Negreira case amid continued regulatory scrutiny and public pressure.