Barcelona president Joan Laporta has insisted his club are innocent in their referee payment scandal.
Spain’s public prosecutor has accused the club of maintaining a relationship with Jose Maria Enriquez Negreira which would see him carry out actions that would ‘lead to Barcelona being favoured in the decision making of the referees’ in exchange for money’
The prosecution says €7.3million (£6.46m) was paid by the club to DASNIL and NILSAT, two companies owned by Negreira.
The club are being investigated by both UEFA and Spanish authorities over the allegations. Barcelona, meanwhile, insist they received referee scouting reports in return.
Laporta has insisted that the club are innocent, leading the fights against the allegations to clear his club’s name.
‘They have nothing because there is nothing,’ he said. ‘What they have done is magnify a situation in which one of the people who was linked to these companies was a former referee and a former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
‘He had no capacity to alter the results of any match because he did not designate the referees.’
The club could face huge financial penalties, and Negreira, former Barcelona presidents Sandro Rosell and Josep Bartomeu, and former directors Oscar Grau and Albert Soler could face up to four years in jail.
Courts will now decide whether there is sufficient evidence to prove that Negreira used money paid to him by Barcelona to influence matches in the club’s favour.
Laporta has denied the allegations since they surfaced, insisting the club have ‘never bought referees', though former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell are also facing charges.
But the problems signpost the latest issue in Barca’s turbulent few years, which has seen extreme financial problems and the club willing to sacrifice future money to succeed now.
The current controversy first hit Barcelona last month when an investigation into a firm owned by Negreira revealed a £1.2m payment from the club, during a two-year period until 2018 for ‘technical advice on referees’.
Spanish newspaper El Mundo subsequently reported that payments from Barcelona to Negreira’s company date back to 2001, a period of time that includes Laporta’s first spell as club president. He will now have to give evidence to investigators.
ManUnited-Red
0
don't forget your own club mumu
Your crying everywhere lmao
neomnosuz
0
Barcelona are never innocent, they are always guilty, they forget to pay the referees 3 games straight
don't forget your own club mumu
soubeklp
0
two years without penalty on you nor yellow card given wasn't because of the beautiful football brother, it was the money and Chelsea plus PSG matches in UCL is evident. strip all the collective and individual awards won during this period if proven guilty and Barca is a small as gerona 😂😂😂😂
THINK BEFORE YOU SAY. NO PENALTY AND YELLOW CARD MEANS BARCELONA DON'T PLAY SLAVERY GAMES
RipRoz
0
wait until u are banned that's u will accept
Keep dreaming
Atleti_Simeone_Lover
0
Why decision making is too late. They should give their decision as soon as possible point drop or fines or clearance.
MumbaRk
0
Go tell that to the referee on your payroll.
wait until u are banned that's u will accept
Loddenrs
0
did you notice guys when barca loose against suddenly fake rumor negrera case stop when barca won 3 clasico in a row how fast negrera rumor comes just perezthinks🤡
barca z barca
donaccess1998
0
You guys has judge Barcelona without even knowing the final judgement... what if the issue table against Barcelona was never true, then what will you anti- Barcelonas think of your God dam self??
saurav5105
0
two years without penalty on you nor yellow card given wasn't because of the beautiful football brother, it was the money and Chelsea plus PSG matches in UCL is evident. strip all the collective and individual awards won during this period if proven guilty and Barca is a small as gerona 😂😂😂😂
Cry
Zeyaiklosy
0
two years without penalty on you nor yellow card given wasn't because of the beautiful football brother, it was the money and Chelsea plus PSG matches in UCL is evident. strip all the collective and individual awards won during this period if proven guilty and Barca is a small as gerona 😂😂😂😂
RipRoz
0
no need to say that because it's not true ,Barcelona fans u are busy trying to bring madrid into your issues that's why winning trophies has hard for you guys for late because the one they usd to help them is no longer there
Go tell that to the referee on your payroll.
Utwo
0
He can yell to the whole world, but we know he is a cheater. Go n ask Messi.
Savage909
0
Lol 😂 you sounded like you’re deranged. You don’t know what scouting reports means? If they had evidence then we would have been charged. Lol 😂 you should always apply wisdom.
Scouting in paying Ref, court cases don’t work the way u think so chill.. Barcelona board agreed that they have been paying ref NEG
myrealmadrid342
0
Here is the test for Laporta... Ask him if he is innocent for Messi's departure?!
who care ...😂😂😂
Nestanjunior
0
with the best players in their peak,do you think FC Barcelona will bribe How did they play the beautiful football y@ll watch past matches and see for yourself
lbcrna
2
the most corrupt football club in the world is FC Barcelona.
TheOddOne
1
Now Barcelona is being reduced to a Joke! Cant believe a club like Barca need to stoop so low to bribe referees to let it continue to win Laliga matches
sodcltyz
0
Oh sorry I thought you said it to Barcelona, yes you right without RM won’t have many UCL. Sorry I don’t read carefully
Thanks for your honesty 🙏
Browwell
0
I’m not sure you understand English
Oh sorry I thought you said it to Barcelona, yes you right without RM won’t have many UCL. Sorry I don’t read carefully
Browwell
0
I’m not sure you understand English
Okay English teacher 😂
sodcltyz
0
It is LALIGA Ref not UCL UEFA lol go see doctor, even Madrid won by Ref mistake many
I’m not sure you understand English
kanuIbrahim2002
0
I believe that Barcelona are innocent of this accrued...
MumbaRk
0
The Athletic Jack Pitt-Brooke May 4, 2022 Carlos Megia Davila, the former referee on Real Madrid’s payroll After their humiliating collapse at the Santiago Bernabeu, one of the worst of all of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League defeats, the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo let their emotions get the better of them. Al-Khelaifi, his bodyguard and Leonardo headed to the officials’ changing room to confront Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. Leonardo was the loudest with his objections, holding the changing-room door open as he vented at the officials. The next day, UEFA opened an investigation into Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo. PSG’s main complaint was their view that Real Madrid’s opening goal that night, the one that turned the second leg of their last-16 tie, should not have stood. But that one decision from Makkelie was not the only thing on PSG’s minds. They had also noticed the presence of Carlos Megia Davila at the Bernabeu that evening. Megia Davila is a retired former referee who has worked for Real Madrid since 2009, effectively as a liaison between the club and match officials. He knows many of the top referees, having worked with them, and interacts with the officials in his role as Madrid’s pitchside delegate. And the sight of Megia Davila there that evening, given what happened on the pitch, was not lost on PSG figures. Although there is no suggestion that Megia Davila (or the match officials) did anything wrong, the whole incident does shine a light on his seemingly unique role in European football. The club appointed Megia Devila to their institutional relations department. He was pictured in Marca pulling on a Madrid shirt over a referee’s one. The idea was simple. Madrid wanted better relations with referees, both in Spain and for UEFA competitions. Megia Davila would act as a go-between from the club to the world of officialdom. He could greet the referees at the Bernabeu and lobby the federations when it came to appealing against red cards and suspensions Madrid players received. When there were rule changes, Megia Davila could take charge of educating the club’s players about what was and was not allowed. But when Jose Mourinho took over as manager in 2010, all of this came under threat. Mourinho publicly went to war with the referees and bristled that not everyone at the club was on his side. It became a constant theme of the Mourinho era as he tried to build a siege mentality and chip away at Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, hinting at referee bias. Mourinho left the year after that and Madrid’s relations with the world of referees appeared to get smoother, and they moved back towards the direction of “senorio”. Megia Davila had a good relationship with Rafa Benitez, who managed Madrid for the first half of the 2016-17 season, and his role at the club grew over time. In 2017, Real’s legendary old “pitch delegate” Agustin Herrerin had to step down due to ill health. Megia Davila stepped up to take over his old role as a delegate, being a public part of the club on match days and helping everything proceed smoothly in the tunnel with the players, coaches and officials. Megia Davila was photographed with the pristine white armband, with the club badge and “delegado”. He looked every inch a representative of one of Spain’s biggest sporting institutions. Since then, Megia Davila has continued to be part of the furniture. Now and then, he will be caught up in something newsworthy, such as when he had to try to dissuade Sergio Ramos (unsuccessfully) from going down to the tunnel while suspended during a Champions League game against Juventus in 2018. Or, earlier this year, when his presence so frustrated PSG during that last-16 second leg. So how strange should we find all this? It is not uncommon in Spain to have a former referee as a team’s general manager, but even so, this particular role is unique. But think for one second how much money clubs are ready to spend on every other aspect of their operation in pursuit of marginal gains, whether that be data or nutrition or psychology or sleep coaches, or any other sector. And think how one little decision, even in the era of VARs, can be the difference between no points and three points in the league, or between going through or not in a cup. Teams like Madrid do not like to leave any stone unturned. Given all that, perhaps the only surprise is that more clubs have not tried to do the same thing. We are all used to our retired Premier League referees appearing on TV or the radio to discuss the weekend’s decisions. Now imagine one of them instead at a Premier League ground, in a club suit, hanging around the tunnel and changing rooms, shaking hands with the day’s referees and making sure they had everything they needed. It would, at the least, give us a whole new set of controversies to talk about.
no need to say that because it's not true ,Barcelona fans u are busy trying to bring madrid into your issues that's why winning trophies has hard for you guys for late because the one they usd to help them is no longer there
Browwell
0
If referees were treating Madrid fairly there is no way they would have won so many UCLs but referees always cheat for them
It is LALIGA Ref not UCL UEFA lol go see doctor, even Madrid won by Ref mistake many
Browwell
1
your still lost some league title and still got bias treating even paying Ref, imagine if they didn’t!!!!
RipRoz
0
I still can't forget how Barca turned 4 goals to six against Parisian 2016
Without any referee on our payroll.
Anup_Anjan
0
Today ref didnt give a foul where barca winger was hanging at shoulder of Getafe player. He was going to barca post with ball.
Jummer
0
The Athletic Jack Pitt-Brooke May 4, 2022 Carlos Megia Davila, the former referee on Real Madrid’s payroll After their humiliating collapse at the Santiago Bernabeu, one of the worst of all of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League defeats, the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo let their emotions get the better of them. Al-Khelaifi, his bodyguard and Leonardo headed to the officials’ changing room to confront Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. Leonardo was the loudest with his objections, holding the changing-room door open as he vented at the officials. The next day, UEFA opened an investigation into Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo. PSG’s main complaint was their view that Real Madrid’s opening goal that night, the one that turned the second leg of their last-16 tie, should not have stood. But that one decision from Makkelie was not the only thing on PSG’s minds. They had also noticed the presence of Carlos Megia Davila at the Bernabeu that evening. Megia Davila is a retired former referee who has worked for Real Madrid since 2009, effectively as a liaison between the club and match officials. He knows many of the top referees, having worked with them, and interacts with the officials in his role as Madrid’s pitchside delegate. And the sight of Megia Davila there that evening, given what happened on the pitch, was not lost on PSG figures. Although there is no suggestion that Megia Davila (or the match officials) did anything wrong, the whole incident does shine a light on his seemingly unique role in European football. The club appointed Megia Devila to their institutional relations department. He was pictured in Marca pulling on a Madrid shirt over a referee’s one. The idea was simple. Madrid wanted better relations with referees, both in Spain and for UEFA competitions. Megia Davila would act as a go-between from the club to the world of officialdom. He could greet the referees at the Bernabeu and lobby the federations when it came to appealing against red cards and suspensions Madrid players received. When there were rule changes, Megia Davila could take charge of educating the club’s players about what was and was not allowed. But when Jose Mourinho took over as manager in 2010, all of this came under threat. Mourinho publicly went to war with the referees and bristled that not everyone at the club was on his side. It became a constant theme of the Mourinho era as he tried to build a siege mentality and chip away at Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, hinting at referee bias. Mourinho left the year after that and Madrid’s relations with the world of referees appeared to get smoother, and they moved back towards the direction of “senorio”. Megia Davila had a good relationship with Rafa Benitez, who managed Madrid for the first half of the 2016-17 season, and his role at the club grew over time. In 2017, Real’s legendary old “pitch delegate” Agustin Herrerin had to step down due to ill health. Megia Davila stepped up to take over his old role as a delegate, being a public part of the club on match days and helping everything proceed smoothly in the tunnel with the players, coaches and officials. Megia Davila was photographed with the pristine white armband, with the club badge and “delegado”. He looked every inch a representative of one of Spain’s biggest sporting institutions. Since then, Megia Davila has continued to be part of the furniture. Now and then, he will be caught up in something newsworthy, such as when he had to try to dissuade Sergio Ramos (unsuccessfully) from going down to the tunnel while suspended during a Champions League game against Juventus in 2018. Or, earlier this year, when his presence so frustrated PSG during that last-16 second leg. So how strange should we find all this? It is not uncommon in Spain to have a former referee as a team’s general manager, but even so, this particular role is unique. But think for one second how much money clubs are ready to spend on every other aspect of their operation in pursuit of marginal gains, whether that be data or nutrition or psychology or sleep coaches, or any other sector. And think how one little decision, even in the era of VARs, can be the difference between no points and three points in the league, or between going through or not in a cup. Teams like Madrid do not like to leave any stone unturned. Given all that, perhaps the only surprise is that more clubs have not tried to do the same thing. We are all used to our retired Premier League referees appearing on TV or the radio to discuss the weekend’s decisions. Now imagine one of them instead at a Premier League ground, in a club suit, hanging around the tunnel and changing rooms, shaking hands with the day’s referees and making sure they had everything they needed. It would, at the least, give us a whole new set of controversies to talk about.
I still can't forget how Barca turned 4 goals to six against Parisian 2016
Red_Devil_United
2
So let me get this straight. Barca bribes refs to let them win games but at the same time they loan players to other clubs to beat them. That's just hilarious. What a joke.
Stickle
1
Here is the test for Laporta... Ask him if he is innocent for Messi's departure?!
Mor2022
0
which sponsor, Spotify camp nou?? and you barely outclassed any team, even your greatest team in the history needed tje help of refs to pass Ucls stages. Have sone shame. No one respects barca. Be grateful you saw a period. Wait for the dark days ahead cause without the help of refs you won't outclass anyone not even Getafe forget Manchester United or other oppositions👎🤫🤭🤫
I think he hates Barça at this point because of those two UCL 2009 and 2011 finals. I thought they got over it but it looks like it still hurts them. Barça will always be bigger than Man United
kay7
0
If referees were treating Madrid fairly there is no way they would have won so many UCLs but referees always cheat for them
cry harder
ManUnited-Red
3
Barcelona are never innocent, they are always guilty, they forget to pay the referees 3 games straight
sodcltyz
0
If referees were treating Madrid fairly there is no way they would have won so many UCLs but referees always cheat for them
sodcltyz
0
just accept Barcelona has been paying referees, the early the better for u but if u think bringing in real madrid will make u and the psg and president feel better its OK
I thought you will be brave enough to say the narrative is not true. Madrid and Referees are bedfellows
valverde7
0
Yeah bro... We are Barca and we will weather this one together. 👍
Correct bro 🔥💯
RipRoz
1
Very very accurate comment… but bro… they aren’t ready for that kind of conversation… but eventually the finger will point at other clubs… it’s just Barca’s turn right now… we’ll weather this… I’m sure of it… but I wonder if other clubs could weather it when it’s their turn? 🤷🏽
Yeah bro... We are Barca and we will weather this one together. 👍
RipRoz
0
just accept Barcelona has been paying referees, the early the better for u but if u think bringing in real madrid will make u and the psg and president feel better its OK
But we don't have one on our payroll...that will make us and the PSG president feel better, knowing that there are teams doing worse that us.
valverde7
0
The Athletic Jack Pitt-Brooke May 4, 2022 Carlos Megia Davila, the former referee on Real Madrid’s payroll After their humiliating collapse at the Santiago Bernabeu, one of the worst of all of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League defeats, the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo let their emotions get the better of them. Al-Khelaifi, his bodyguard and Leonardo headed to the officials’ changing room to confront Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. Leonardo was the loudest with his objections, holding the changing-room door open as he vented at the officials. The next day, UEFA opened an investigation into Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo. PSG’s main complaint was their view that Real Madrid’s opening goal that night, the one that turned the second leg of their last-16 tie, should not have stood. But that one decision from Makkelie was not the only thing on PSG’s minds. They had also noticed the presence of Carlos Megia Davila at the Bernabeu that evening. Megia Davila is a retired former referee who has worked for Real Madrid since 2009, effectively as a liaison between the club and match officials. He knows many of the top referees, having worked with them, and interacts with the officials in his role as Madrid’s pitchside delegate. And the sight of Megia Davila there that evening, given what happened on the pitch, was not lost on PSG figures. Although there is no suggestion that Megia Davila (or the match officials) did anything wrong, the whole incident does shine a light on his seemingly unique role in European football. The club appointed Megia Devila to their institutional relations department. He was pictured in Marca pulling on a Madrid shirt over a referee’s one. The idea was simple. Madrid wanted better relations with referees, both in Spain and for UEFA competitions. Megia Davila would act as a go-between from the club to the world of officialdom. He could greet the referees at the Bernabeu and lobby the federations when it came to appealing against red cards and suspensions Madrid players received. When there were rule changes, Megia Davila could take charge of educating the club’s players about what was and was not allowed. But when Jose Mourinho took over as manager in 2010, all of this came under threat. Mourinho publicly went to war with the referees and bristled that not everyone at the club was on his side. It became a constant theme of the Mourinho era as he tried to build a siege mentality and chip away at Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, hinting at referee bias. Mourinho left the year after that and Madrid’s relations with the world of referees appeared to get smoother, and they moved back towards the direction of “senorio”. Megia Davila had a good relationship with Rafa Benitez, who managed Madrid for the first half of the 2016-17 season, and his role at the club grew over time. In 2017, Real’s legendary old “pitch delegate” Agustin Herrerin had to step down due to ill health. Megia Davila stepped up to take over his old role as a delegate, being a public part of the club on match days and helping everything proceed smoothly in the tunnel with the players, coaches and officials. Megia Davila was photographed with the pristine white armband, with the club badge and “delegado”. He looked every inch a representative of one of Spain’s biggest sporting institutions. Since then, Megia Davila has continued to be part of the furniture. Now and then, he will be caught up in something newsworthy, such as when he had to try to dissuade Sergio Ramos (unsuccessfully) from going down to the tunnel while suspended during a Champions League game against Juventus in 2018. Or, earlier this year, when his presence so frustrated PSG during that last-16 second leg. So how strange should we find all this? It is not uncommon in Spain to have a former referee as a team’s general manager, but even so, this particular role is unique. But think for one second how much money clubs are ready to spend on every other aspect of their operation in pursuit of marginal gains, whether that be data or nutrition or psychology or sleep coaches, or any other sector. And think how one little decision, even in the era of VARs, can be the difference between no points and three points in the league, or between going through or not in a cup. Teams like Madrid do not like to leave any stone unturned. Given all that, perhaps the only surprise is that more clubs have not tried to do the same thing. We are all used to our retired Premier League referees appearing on TV or the radio to discuss the weekend’s decisions. Now imagine one of them instead at a Premier League ground, in a club suit, hanging around the tunnel and changing rooms, shaking hands with the day’s referees and making sure they had everything they needed. It would, at the least, give us a whole new set of controversies to talk about.
Very very accurate comment… but bro… they aren’t ready for that kind of conversation… but eventually the finger will point at other clubs… it’s just Barca’s turn right now… we’ll weather this… I’m sure of it… but I wonder if other clubs could weather it when it’s their turn? 🤷🏽
valverde7
1
whatever but cheating does have it's consequences so wait and watch
We’re not cheating if you have NO PROVE… just questionable information… stop TRYING to cast a verdict when your a nobody that’s knows NOTHING 🤫🤫🤫🤫 Mind your mediocre club’s business and not Barca 🤷🏽🤷🏽🤷🏽
teeacdlpr
0
go get a trophy first 😂😂😂
you are barca fan? then tell the rate of the ref, it will be easier to get one as you all are experienced
teeacdlpr
0
Waste of time club… 13 years without a league and 15 years without a UCL and y’all here talking to big clubs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 gooo find a Norwich chat… stay in your small club lane… Weghorst… Martial… Elanga… Maguire… a bunch of average nobody’s 🤣🤣🤣 and y’all wanna talk to big clubs… boy sit down and take notes 🤫🤫🤫🤫 maybe y’all would learn to win something 🤫🤫🤫
whatever but cheating does have it's consequences so wait and watch
Billwallace400
0
He should prove it that Barcelona didn’t pay ref, u should think before talking Barca agreed that they paid ref why will they pay ref to help them win match or what exactly
Lol 😂 you sounded like you’re deranged. You don’t know what scouting reports means? If they had evidence then we would have been charged. Lol 😂 you should always apply wisdom.
MikaelGuerrero
0
this is still going on I thought it was over
yourdaddy1
0
each every thug in the court says the same thing. I hope they get relegated . They deserve the worst of the worst in terms of punishment
go get a trophy first 😂😂😂
Savage909
0
Other people that talk, what proof did they offer ??? Apply wisdom when you speak. You’re welcome.
He should prove it that Barcelona didn’t pay ref, u should think before talking Barca agreed that they paid ref why will they pay ref to help them win match or what exactly
Billwallace400
0
He should prove ur instead of talking
Other people that talk, what proof did they offer ??? Apply wisdom when you speak. You’re welcome.
MumbaRk
1
The Athletic Jack Pitt-Brooke May 4, 2022 Carlos Megia Davila, the former referee on Real Madrid’s payroll After their humiliating collapse at the Santiago Bernabeu, one of the worst of all of Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League defeats, the club’s president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and sporting director Leonardo let their emotions get the better of them. Al-Khelaifi, his bodyguard and Leonardo headed to the officials’ changing room to confront Dutch referee Danny Makkelie. Leonardo was the loudest with his objections, holding the changing-room door open as he vented at the officials. The next day, UEFA opened an investigation into Al-Khelaifi and Leonardo. PSG’s main complaint was their view that Real Madrid’s opening goal that night, the one that turned the second leg of their last-16 tie, should not have stood. But that one decision from Makkelie was not the only thing on PSG’s minds. They had also noticed the presence of Carlos Megia Davila at the Bernabeu that evening. Megia Davila is a retired former referee who has worked for Real Madrid since 2009, effectively as a liaison between the club and match officials. He knows many of the top referees, having worked with them, and interacts with the officials in his role as Madrid’s pitchside delegate. And the sight of Megia Davila there that evening, given what happened on the pitch, was not lost on PSG figures. Although there is no suggestion that Megia Davila (or the match officials) did anything wrong, the whole incident does shine a light on his seemingly unique role in European football. The club appointed Megia Devila to their institutional relations department. He was pictured in Marca pulling on a Madrid shirt over a referee’s one. The idea was simple. Madrid wanted better relations with referees, both in Spain and for UEFA competitions. Megia Davila would act as a go-between from the club to the world of officialdom. He could greet the referees at the Bernabeu and lobby the federations when it came to appealing against red cards and suspensions Madrid players received. When there were rule changes, Megia Davila could take charge of educating the club’s players about what was and was not allowed. But when Jose Mourinho took over as manager in 2010, all of this came under threat. Mourinho publicly went to war with the referees and bristled that not everyone at the club was on his side. It became a constant theme of the Mourinho era as he tried to build a siege mentality and chip away at Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, hinting at referee bias. Mourinho left the year after that and Madrid’s relations with the world of referees appeared to get smoother, and they moved back towards the direction of “senorio”. Megia Davila had a good relationship with Rafa Benitez, who managed Madrid for the first half of the 2016-17 season, and his role at the club grew over time. In 2017, Real’s legendary old “pitch delegate” Agustin Herrerin had to step down due to ill health. Megia Davila stepped up to take over his old role as a delegate, being a public part of the club on match days and helping everything proceed smoothly in the tunnel with the players, coaches and officials. Megia Davila was photographed with the pristine white armband, with the club badge and “delegado”. He looked every inch a representative of one of Spain’s biggest sporting institutions. Since then, Megia Davila has continued to be part of the furniture. Now and then, he will be caught up in something newsworthy, such as when he had to try to dissuade Sergio Ramos (unsuccessfully) from going down to the tunnel while suspended during a Champions League game against Juventus in 2018. Or, earlier this year, when his presence so frustrated PSG during that last-16 second leg. So how strange should we find all this? It is not uncommon in Spain to have a former referee as a team’s general manager, but even so, this particular role is unique. But think for one second how much money clubs are ready to spend on every other aspect of their operation in pursuit of marginal gains, whether that be data or nutrition or psychology or sleep coaches, or any other sector. And think how one little decision, even in the era of VARs, can be the difference between no points and three points in the league, or between going through or not in a cup. Teams like Madrid do not like to leave any stone unturned. Given all that, perhaps the only surprise is that more clubs have not tried to do the same thing. We are all used to our retired Premier League referees appearing on TV or the radio to discuss the weekend’s decisions. Now imagine one of them instead at a Premier League ground, in a club suit, hanging around the tunnel and changing rooms, shaking hands with the day’s referees and making sure they had everything they needed. It would, at the least, give us a whole new set of controversies to talk about.
just accept Barcelona has been paying referees, the early the better for u but if u think bringing in real madrid will make u and the psg and president feel better its OK
Nazdilmpr
1
Ban this club
valverde7
0
which sponsor, Spotify camp nou?? and you barely outclassed any team, even your greatest team in the history needed tje help of refs to pass Ucls stages. Have sone shame. No one respects barca. Be grateful you saw a period. Wait for the dark days ahead cause without the help of refs you won't outclass anyone not even Getafe forget Manchester United or other oppositions👎🤫🤭🤫
Waste of time club… 13 years without a league and 15 years without a UCL and y’all here talking to big clubs 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 gooo find a Norwich chat… stay in your small club lane… Weghorst… Martial… Elanga… Maguire… a bunch of average nobody’s 🤣🤣🤣 and y’all wanna talk to big clubs… boy sit down and take notes 🤫🤫🤫🤫 maybe y’all would learn to win something 🤫🤫🤫