Barca could be relegated over charges of corruption after alleged ref payments

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    Barcelona have been warned they could be relegated or stripped of titles over charges of corruption.

    Last Friday (March 10) the La Liga giants learned a complaint had been filed against them and two of the club's ex-presidents by Spanish prosecutors after they were alleged to have paid over €7.3million (£6.4m) to Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira – an ex-vice-president of Spain's referees' committee.

    The payments are claimed to have been made between 2001 and 2018 to firms owned by the former senior official, who was in his role from 1993 to 2018, with the suggestion they were made to influence match results.

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    Barca, former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, and Negreira have been indicted for "corruption", "breach of trust" and "false business records".

    And should they be found guilty, it could have massive ramifications. Joan Maria Xiol, president of the Catalan Sports Court, has said: "The possibility of a relegation may occur.

    How do you think Barca should be punished? Let us know in the comments section below

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    "UEFA can judge events that have no international significance. If it has evidence of irregularities, it may have jurisdiction to act. Also on the list of sanctions is the possibility of losing titles."

    Current club president Joan Laporta, who was elected for the second time in March 2021 having previously held the role from 2003-2010, has strenuously denied the allegations.

    "Let it be clear, Barca have never bought referees and Barca have never had the intention of buying referees, absolutely never," he said on Tuesday (March 14).

    He also claimed the club is the "victim of a campaign" to "harm its honourability" in a tweet at the weekend, vowing to clear their name.

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    • Barcelona FC
    • La Liga

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