At the Clásico, FC Barcelona is about to take the decisive step towards the championship in Spain. However, the game against rival Real Madrid on Sunday night in Camp Nou (9 p.m., in the sports show live ticker) is overshadowed by the referee affair of the Catalans.
The preliminary proceedings against FC Barcelona have only been open for a few days, and yet a great deal has already been learned from the responsible investigating judge, Silvia López Mejía. She had her house broken into over the weekend. And many years ago she was sentenced to a fine for threatening the traffic cops with the power of her office during an alcohol test.
Whether someone with such a personalized understanding of law and order is an ideal candidate for jurisprudence has so far only been a side issue in the shrill tumult surrounding Barça’s disreputable millions in payments to a vice-president of the Spanish referee committee. At least since 2001 and until 2018, companies owned by José María Enríquez Negreira were on the payroll of the Catalans.
There is no evidence of Barca’s manipulations yet
There is still no evidence of any kind that whistles were bought with it. But the image damage is already considerable – and the noise even greater.
Just in time for the Clásico last week, arch-rival Real Madrid also went on the attack – and decided to enter the proceedings as a joint plaintiff. Real would be a potential main victim if the arch-rival were actually convicted of buying results.
A real legend like ex-national coach Vicente del Bosque is reluctant: “Barça would have won just as much without Negreira“. Ex-President Ramón Calderón also stated that during his term of office between 2006 and 2009 he never had the impression of cheating.
However, his successor, the current President Florentino Pérez, has the club’s broadcaster broadcast video clips of polemics against unwelcome pipers – and thus deliberately gives the impression that refereeing has been corrupted in Barça’s favour.
Fans wave Laporta banknotes
The tension before the Clásico is as great as it was during the notorious coaching duels between Pep Guardiola and José Mourinho or the conflict over the Catalan independence aspirations. Most recently, two weeks ago, in the first leg of the cup semi-final (0: 1), Real fans waved banknotes with the likeness of Barça President Joan Laporta on them – in office between 2003 and 2010.
Similar scenes were repeated at Barça’s away game in Bilbao on Sunday. The prejudice makes him sad, said coach Xavi Hernández. Laporta rants: “Barça are innocent of what they are accused of and the victim of a campaign.“So far, however, the club has not offered any explanation.
A Real Madrid supporter protests against FC Barcelona with a bank note. The banknote features Barcelona President Joan Laporta.
The scandal follows an endless series of affairs. The slanders of critics and club players commissioned by Laporta’s predecessor Bartomeu via obscure accounts on social networks (“Barçagate”) are still being processed.
And the severe financial crisis with debts of more than one billion euros is not over yet. Since a transfer offensive financed by the sale of club assets last summer, there has been a constant struggle with the league over compliance with the upper salary limit.
Controversial transfer offensive has paid off
After all, the hasty act seems to have paid off. Thanks in part to goals from new signings Robert Lewandowski – who leads the scorer list with 15 goals – and Raphinha, as well as the defensive skills of newly signed players such as Jules Koundé and Andreas Christensen, Barça lead the table by nine points over Real. Marc-André ter Stegen also plays a prominent role. The German national goalkeeper has only conceded eight goals in 25 games. Barça have won nine times 1-0.
The former offensive specialists are working their way back up the iron defense. The Supercup (3:1 against Real) has also already been won – and in the cup a draw in the second leg in two weeks would be enough to qualify for the final.
Among the many crises, at least the sporting one would be over. And this season nobody could be suspected of corruption so far. Referee official Enríquez Negreira has not been in office since 2018. The payments from FC Barcelona were also stopped that year.