Laporta Accuses Real Madrid of 70 Years Control Over Referees

Laporta Accuses Real Madrid of Decades-Long Control Over Spanish Refereeing

Barcelona president denies corruption claims and points to a smear campaign from Madrid

BlaugranaNews EditorialMarch 10, 20261 min read

So what

These remarks highlight the deepening rift in Spanish football and affect the narrative around the ongoing investigation into Barca's referee payments.

Joan Laporta, seeking re-election as Barcelona president, launched a sharp attack on Real Madrid, accusing them of controlling the Spanish Referees Committee for over 70 years. He questioned the impartiality and fairness of football officiating under such influence.

Amid a public prosecutor's investigation into Barcelona paying companies linked to former vice-president of the Referees Committee José María Enriquez Negreira, Laporta insists the payments were for legitimate technical advice and not corruption. He claims the club is a victim of a coordinated smear campaign orchestrated from Madrid.

Laporta also suggested that Real Madrid likely engaged in similar referee performance analyses but without public scrutiny. He stressed the fact that Real Madrid had long-standing ties to the Referees Committee, with its members running it for decades, which raises concerns about impartiality.

Alongside navigating this legal cloud, Laporta's immediate priority is winning the presidential election and stabilizing the club's precarious finances. Meanwhile, Barcelona prepares to face Newcastle United in the Champions League Round of 16 first leg.

Laporta’s statements bring to light the entrenched tensions in Spanish football governance and the challenges Barcelona faces both on and off the pitch amid allegations and investigations.