Luis Enrique, Ernesto Valverde and Barcelona President to give evidence in Negreira case on Friday | OneFootball

The gears of the Spanish justice system grind on, and on Friday, a significant hearing in the Negreira case is set to take place with some headline guests. Barcelona are currently accused of corruption, after payments of €7-8m were made to companies linked to former Vice-President of the Referees Committee (CTA) Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira were discovered.

The payments took place over a period of 17 years between 2001 and 2018, and the investigating authorities say there is not a satisfactory explanation for the payments. Barcelona have defended their innocence, claiming that the money was for consultancy on refereeing performance.

Former Barcelona managers Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde called to stand

Image via Athletic Club

Former Barcelona managers Luis Enrique and Ernesto Valverde will give evidence in Madrid on Friday as part of the case, as pointed out by MD, with the prosecution questioning them as witnesses. The Athletic Club manager has previously declared that he had no knowledge of the reports produced by Negreira during his time as manager.

Joan Laporta will also give evidence

While former Barcelona Presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Maria Bartomeu have been indicted, and are facing corruption charges, current President Joan Laporta has escaped trial in that regard. His first spell in charge ended in 2010, and was beyond the statute of limitations. Laporta, who has vehemently defended Barcelona’s innocence throughout the case, will be called as a witness too, and is due in court on Friday. Bartomeu and Rosell gave testimony in September, after being asked a series of questions by the defence.

The Negreira case has shaken the foundations of Spanish football, and whatever the verdict, it will have far-reaching repercussions. Recently it has become the fulcrum of the increasingly tense relations between Real Madrid and Barcelona, with Los Blancos featuring in the case as a complainant.