🗣️ Villar: We had no knowledge of what Negreira was doing | OneFootball

Former RFEF president Ángel María Villar spoke today at the World Football Summit about major issues such as the Negreira Case, his career at the helm of the Spanish federation, and the ongoing conflict over Gianni Infantino’s policies at FIFA.

“We were not aware of it; if we had known, we would have told him that he could not have any relationship with the clubs,” he explained regarding the Negreira Case, which is investigating FC Barcelona’s payments to the vice president of the referees’ committee and their possible influence on the Catalan club’s sporting results. 

“At that time, clubs began hiring former referees. Barcelona was not the only one. Now almost all clubs have them,” he pointed out.

Do you think Barça should be punished?

Villar believes that if Barcelona has committed “a sporting offense,” it should be judged by the federation’s courts and the TAD, even if it ultimately reaches the ordinary courts.

“There is a principle in sanctioning law that when you open a case, if there is criminal action, it is suspended until the criminal proceedings are over. I don’t know what stage it is at, so I prefer not to comment,” he concluded.

Villar admits that he does not like the criticism aimed at FIFA president Gianni Infantino. “Why has he been criticized? For taking a card away from the U.S. He didn’t take it away himself. The media sometimes misinform. There is a competition committee.”

“Or when he suggested to the media that 30% should be sold to a private company. I don’t like it, but he put it forward so that there could be discussion. He had no intention of it going ahead, but rather of creating a debate. I think that although it was his idea, FIFA’s committee treated it not as a decision, but as a future alternative. I don’t know it in depth, but there must be nuances. They have portrayed this man in a horrible way. He has delivered a great World Cup, the stadiums have been full…,” he reflected.

Lastly, the former RFEF president said he would like the 2030 World Cup final to be held in Spain, but with one caveat. “If the governing body believes that for the global projection of football it is better to play it in another country, then they will know, because that is what they were chosen for.”

“I wouldn’t like it to be somewhere else, but I wouldn’t tear my clothes over it. I submitted several bids and they always turned me down,” he admits.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.

📸 GABRIEL BOUYS - AFP or licensors