Real Madrid President highlighted questionable Barcelona relationship in 1994

In light of the recent revelations about Barcelona’s relationship with former Vice-President of the Referees Committee, the words of late Real Madrid President Ramon Mendoza have struck a chord in the Spanish capital.

During a tax investigation into Enriquez Negreira, it was discovered that Barcelona had paid €1.4m to Dasnil 95, Negreira’s company, over the course of three years. The payments were made in exchange for scouting services and consultancy on how to handle referees.

Following these revelations, have recalled the comments of Mendoza, made nearly three decades ago in 1994. After Jorge Valdano (as manager) was sanctioned, Mendoza hinted that he was suspicious about Negreira’s role in the Technical Committee of Referees.

“There is great concern in hundreds of thousands of people in the performance of Enriquez Negreira from Barcelona.”

“Many more things happen in relation to other sports divisions, that now dress in different colours than before,” Mendoza said in allusion to seemingly more Barcelona-leaning officials.

He went further hinting that Negreira used to influence referees before matches.

“It will be necessary to ensure that the referees do not speak before with the same person all the time before the matches. It creates a climate of unnecessary tension in a great group.”

Barcelona are expected to go unpunished. They are not currently being investigated by the law, and in theory have not committed any crimes, rather it was a conflict of interests for Nogreira, although the Anti-Corruption Department are now expected to look into the former referee. The moral questions of their business dealings are a different matter altogether.