The investigation began after Spain’s tax authorities identified irregularities in tax payments made between 2016 and 2018 by the company Dasnil 95 – owned by Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira, vice-president of Spain’s refereeing technical committee (CTA) between 1994-2018.The company reportedly received payments between 2016 and 2018 for advising the club on refereeing matters.The last invoice, according to Cadena Ser radio, was issued in June 2018. After that the CTA was restructured and Enriquez Negreira left the organisation.Josep Maria Bartomeu, then-president of Barca, told reporters the club had decided to dispense with these services in order to cut costs.🚨 BREAKING: FC Barcelona paid a vice president of the Referees Committee, €1.4 million from 2016-2018 😱[@diarioas] pic.twitter.com/Y0HulfuaLu— Barstool Football (@StoolFootball) February 15, 2023 Negreira – who refereed in La Liga between 1977-1992 – denied that he had given any favourable treatment to the club.He said his duties were limited to providing Barca with mostly verbal advice on topics such as how players should behave in front of referees.FC Barcelona issued a statement that said it had formerly had a contract with an “external provider” for “technical reports related to professional refereeing in order to complement information required by the coaching staff of the first team and the reserve team.”The statement, which did not mention Dasnil 95, said this was “a common practice at professional football clubs.”🚨 Barcelona allegedly paid the former vice-president of the Referees Commission, José Maria Enriquez, €1.4 million between 2016 and 2018. 🥶💰(Source: @diarioas) pic.twitter.com/x8jCot4xOv— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) February 15, 2023 Barcelona said the task is now undertaken by a member of staff within their football department, and they would take legal action against any party trying to damage the club’s image.The club also noted their “regret” that the information had been released “when the team has hit its best form of the season”.”It’s not just chance that it’s coming out now,” said president Joan Laporta.”Any biased interpretation that insinuates things which are not so will receive a proportional response from the club. We will defend the honour and interests of FC Barcelona.”The Catalans beat Villarreal 1-0 on Sunday to move 11 points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of La Liga.Real eager to prove they are not in a crisis, Elche are harmless when Milla does not play© Agence France-Presse
