BARCELONA, March 23: Barcelona is facing a new legal threat from UEFA, including a possible Champions League ban, because of its payments of millions of dollars to a company linked to a Spanish refereeing official.
The European football body asked Thursday for an investigation into the matter, which is already being pursued by prosecutors in Spain.
Champions League regulations in effect since April 2007 allow UEFA to ban teams from the competition for one season if they were involved in fixing matches.
UEFA said Thursday it asked disciplinary inspectors to “conduct an investigation regarding a potential violation of UEFA’s legal framework by FC Barcelona in connection with the so-called Caso Negreira.’” Court documents show Barcelona paid 7.3 million euros ($7.7 million) from 2001-18 to the company of Jose Marea Enrequez Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish football’s refereeing committee.
Prosecutors in Spain have formally accused Barcelona of corruption in sports, fraudulent management and falsification of business documents.
An investigating judge will decide if this will lead to charges.
No evidence has yet been published that referees or individual games were actually influenced. (PTI)
