Earlier this week, Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Perez, submitted a comprehensive dossier to UEFA, urging that action be taken against Barcelona in relation to the ongoing Negreira case. The officials at Los Blancos have been vocally advocating for sanctions against their rivals regarding payments made to former Technical Committee of Referees vice-president, Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
Barcelona has insisted that the payments made to Negreira were solely for referee reports, asserting that no wrongdoing occurred. However, Real Madrid and Perez contest this viewpoint, which is why they are presenting themselves as an aggrieved party in the ongoing legal proceedings while simultaneously pursuing sporting penalties from UEFA.
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Nonetheless, any immediate actions from UEFA seem unlikely. According to Sport, UEFA has rejected Perez’s dossier, stating that it remains inoperative until a conclusion is reached in the legal proceedings being conducted by Spain’s Prosecutor’s Office.
While UEFA can review the dossier, they are unable to render a judgment until the Prosecutor’s Office determines whether Barcelona is guilty of sporting corruption—a charge brought forth by Real Madrid and Perez. The governing body has committed to respecting the protocols of the Spanish legal system, resulting in no immediate actions.
Real Madrid May Be in for a Prolonged Wait for Verdicts
Image via Denis Doyle/Getty Images
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Real Madrid and Perez maintain a strong conviction that Barcelona is guilty, but any decision on this issue is not expected anytime soon. The Prosecutor’s Office has been investigating the situation for more than a year, and an outcome does not seem to be on the horizon.