Referee Scandal: UEFA Opens Investigation Into Barcelona-Negreira Case

European football governing body, UEFA has appointed ethics and disciplinary inspectors to investigate allegations that Barcelona made payments to a company owned by a former top referee.

A corruption complaint was recently filed by Spanish prosecutors against the Catalans, concerning payments allegedly made to a business run by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, once a top match official and latterly vice-president of Spain's Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), with claims totaling the payments from Barcelona in the excess of €7million, dating from 2001 to 2018.

Last month, reports said Negreira's company – DASNIL 95 SL – produced written reports and DVD assessments of referees for Barcelona prior to games.

UEFA announced in a statement on Thursday that it has opened an investigation into the matter.

The statement read: "In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspectors have today been appointed to conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA's legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called 'Caso Negreira'. Further information regarding this matter will be made available in due course."

However, Barcelona president Joan Laporta maintains the club has done nothing wrong and that the allegations are simply an attempt to derail the La Liga leaders.