Barcelona are ‘CHARGED with bribery after police raid the Spanish FA’s offices’ regarding the alleged payments of millions of euros from the club to the vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee

• Barcelona have been accused of paying a refereeing boss £6m over 18 years
• They deny any wrongdoing, but have now been charged with bribery in Spain
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Barcelona have reportedly been charged with bribery after Spanish police raided offices of the Spanish football federation on Thursday.

The raid was part of a judicial investigation into the alleged payment of millions of euros over several years by the club to the vice-president of Spain’s refereeing committee.

The Guardia Civil confirmed to The Associated Press that its police had searched the offices of the referee committee at the federation headquarters near Madrid. 

The police said they had not made any arrests and were acting on the orders of the judge investigating the case.

In March, state prosecutors formally accused Barcelona of corruption in sports, fraudulent management, and falsification of business documents. 

Barcelona have reportedly been charged with bribery regarding the alleged payments of millions of euros from the club to the vice-president Spain’s refereeing committee

Barcelona deny any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, saying it paid for technical reports on referees but never tried to influence their decisions (pictured – president Joan Laporta)

Prosecutors said the club paid Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, a former referee who was vice-president of the federation’s refereeing committee from 1993 to 2018, €7.3 million (£6.3m) from 2001 to 2018. 

The payments were done via firms owned by Negreira. 

Spanish outlet El Debate is now reporting the club have been formally accused of bribery by the public prosecutor.

Meanwhile, former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, along with Negreira and Javier Enriquez Romero – who is Negreira’s son – have all reportedly been charged too. 

Investigating judge Joaquin Aguirre Lopez said earlier in September that Barcelona may have benefited from ‘possible systemic corruption’.

However, Barcelona have denied any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, saying it paid for technical reports on referees but never tried to influence their decisions in games.

The raids come after the federation has been rocked by a sexism scandal after its now former president Luis Rubiales kissed a player without her consent during the Women’s World Cup awards ceremony last month.

Former Barcelona presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu (left) and Sandro Rosell (right) have also reportedly been charged

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