Bartomeu asks judge to block Real Madrid access to Barcelona financial reports in Negreira case | OneFootball

According to El Periódico Mediterráneo, former Barcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has asked Barcelona’s Investigating Court number one to deny Real Madrid access to the club’s audits and financial reports from 2010 to 2021 in the Negreira case.

Real Madrid requested the files as a private accuser in proceedings over alleged sporting corruption. The case centres on Barcelona’s payments between 2001 and 2018 to José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice president of the referees’ committee, for supposed refereeing reports. Bartomeu, who led Barcelona from 2014 to 2020, is among those under investigation.

In a written submission, he argues Madrid lacks procedural standing and cannot mount a fishing expedition into all of the club’s finances. He says such a broad trawl would infringe Barcelona’s rights, particularly its commercial confidentiality.

Bartomeu further contends Madrid’s active standing has lapsed at this stage because no payment to any referee has been demonstrated. He calls the request, which he says seeks due diligence and forensic reports spanning 18 years, a tactic to delay the case indefinitely.

He adds that the documents include sensitive material such as transfer policy, La Masia investment plans, financial management, tax matters, legal issues including the Neymar case, asset management, the Espai Barça project, and analyses of contracts and spending. He maintains the measures are irrelevant and duplicative, arguing the disputed payments are already documented in the case file and the request would not add new facts.

Source: El Periódico Mediterráneo