Real Madrid outraged over La Liga and RFEF’s silence during Laporta’s testimony in Negreira case | OneFootball

The already fractured relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona has sunk to a new low, and the ongoing Negreira case continues to widen the divide between Spain’s two biggest institutions. 

Now, according to a report from AS, Real Madrid are deeply angered by the behaviour of both La Liga and the Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) during Barcelona president Joan Laporta’s recent appearance before the judge overseeing the Negreira investigation. 

It is said that there is a growing sense that the football authorities have shown little appetite to seriously scrutinise Barcelona’s explanations.

What’s the story?

Sources within the Madrid camp have voiced their frustration at what they view as deliberate inactivity. 

As described by those close to the club, “Their passivity reflects their lack of interest in getting to the bottom of the matter.”

The report details how both La Liga and the RFEF were represented by legal counsel at the City of Justice in Barcelona, yet their involvement was minimal. 

Beatriz Seijo, a criminal law specialist appointed by RFEF president Rafael Louzan, chose not to pose a single question to Laporta. 

Relationship between Real Madrid and Barcelona is broken. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Meanwhile, La Liga president Javier Tebas sent Francisco Martinez, who limited his intervention to one narrow query concerning whether Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira’s son had accompanied referees to the Camp Nou.

This restrained approach has further fuelled Madrid’s anger, even if it did not entirely surprise them. 

Real Madrid will not give up

Real Madrid, meanwhile, are refusing to move on. The club has made it clear that it will continue to act as a private prosecutor until the judicial process reaches a definitive conclusion. 

The investigation is focused on payments totalling €7.3 million made between 2011 and 2018 to Negreira and his son, Javier Enríquez, to determine whether these transactions were intended to influence refereeing decisions in Barcelona’s favour.

During his testimony, Laporta firmly denied any wrongdoing, insisting that his side “was an example to the whole world” due to the quality of its football. 

Notably, he also defended the payments by stating that “the club received more than 600 technical reports” and argued that the arrangement predated his leadership, despite more than €1 million being paid during his presidency.