Barcelona should worry about corruption charges? Here's what La Liga President Javier Tebas has to say

By Ayush Gupta | First Published Mar 26, 2023, 6:20 PM IST

Barcelona has been slapped with corruption charges, which could throw its upcoming season into disarray, including a possible ban in UEFA competitions. Meanwhile, La Liga president Javier Tebas says the Blaugrana should be "worried" about the charges.

La Liga giants Barcelona is having a decent season domestically. However, it has been marred by controversies off the field, as the club has been accused of corruption. The club is presently undergoing investigations related to alleged payments to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira to Spain's refereeing committee's former vice-president Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.

Negreira reportedly received €7 million from the Blaugrana between 2001-18 for sharing information and match officials' analysis, which could have benefitted the club. Former Barca presidents Sandro Rosell, Josep Maria Bartomeu, and three other club members have been named in the charges. At the same time, prosecutors believe that Barcelona might have attempted to fix matches after influencing Negreira and on his advice.

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With the Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) opening its investigation that could lead to Barca's ban from its events next season, La Liga president Javier Tebas has stated that although it might not be possible to place sporting sanctions on the club, given that the payments were made three years ago, he might still punish them, besides warning it to be worried and explain the situation.

"We need explanations. They [Blaugrana] should be worried if they are calm and keep the explanations to themselves. The news is coming out, and more will continue because it is inevitable. I think there should not be silence," Tebas said during Marca's Sport Weekend.

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In the meantime, reports from Spain claim that Barcelona is relaxed about the charges, as it would be complex to prove that the payment was used to fix matches. While the club also believes there would be no sanctions from UEFA, the courts can hand premature UEFA bans, possibly leading to substantial financial losses and legal battles, given that it is already battling financial hardships.

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