Key Takeaways:
- Barcelona President Joan Laporta gave evidence in the Negreira case regarding €7-8m in payments over 17 years
- Laporta stated that all reports from his initial term as president were destroyed every five years
- La Liga’s statute of limitations precludes sporting sanctions, but Barcelona may still face criminal and financial penalties
Laporta’s Testimony and Defence
Joan Laporta, current President of FC Barcelona, has asserted his and the club’s innocence after appearing as a witness in the ongoing Negreira case. Barcelona are being investigated for sporting corruption following the revelation of €7-8m in payments made over 17 years to companies connected to former Referees Committee (CTA) Vice-President Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira.
While former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell have been indicted, Laporta himself has not been formally accused due to the statute of limitations. However, he continues to play a central role in court proceedings as a witness.
Laporta commented to Sport following his court appearance: “We paid for reports, never to favour Barca. At that time, Barca was admired worldwide. An example and a benchmark in football. We didn’t need any favours.”
Joan Laporta ha testificado ante la jueza que mantuvo los pagos del Barça a Negreira porque los informes eran de mucha utilidad
Mientras, Ernesto Valverde y Luis Enrique han asegurado que nunca vieron esos informes ni sabían de su existencia
🗞️ Vía @EFEnoticias pic.twitter.com/Jn43ZRZMa8
— BeSoccer (@besoccer_ES) December 12, 2025
Missing Documentation from Laporta’s First Term
A major point in the investigation has been the lack of sufficient evidence proving the services received for these payments. Barcelona have maintained that Negreira was hired for consultancy work, including preparing assessments of referee performances and behavioural tendencies. As president, Laporta disclosed that documentation from his first spell at the club could not be presented in court.
Laporta stated: “In fact, I don’t know Negreira or anyone from his circle. I’ve never had any contact with them. I inherited those payments, I asked the sporting director, and they told us to proceed with the reports. We don’t have reports from my first period because they are destroyed every five years.”
During a press conference at Camp Nou on 17 April 2023, Laporta also insisted, “Barcelona have never ‘done anything’ to ‘obtain some type of sporting advantage,'” describing the allegations as part of a “smear campaign” targeting the club whilst it stood atop La Liga. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP)
Payment Process and Board Oversight
The club’s internal statutes require board approval for any expenditure exceeding €150,000, yet Laporta explained that the monthly structure of these report payments allowed them to proceed without attracting attention from the Barcelona board.
Laporta said, “The cost of the reports didn’t necessarily have to be reviewed by the board. It’s a matter of the amount.”
He further highlighted that the financial cost of these reports meant only a limited number of individuals were informed of these activities.
Potential Consequences for Barcelona
Although the matter was not brought forward until after La Liga’s statute of limitations had lapsed, which removes the possibility of a sporting ban or point deduction, Barcelona remain under threat of serious criminal and financial repercussions depending on the outcome of ongoing legal proceedings.
