LaLiga Santander: "FC Barcelona has never tried to buy referees" (Joan Laporta)

"Let it be clear that FC Barcelona (LaLiga Santander) has never tried to buy referees and has never been involved in influencing them. It has never had the intention either. Absolutely never," said Joan Laporta, president of the Catalan club, on 07/03/2023.

This statement comes as the Spanish daily El Pais reports on the same day that the National Prosecutor's Office will prosecute FC Barcelona and former executives, including former president Josep Maria Bartomeu, for "sporting corruption." A procedure motivated by payments made by the club - nearly €7m from 2001 to 2018 at least - to the company DASNIL 95 SL, owned by José Maria Enríquez Negreira, then vice-president of the Spanish Technical Committee of Referees (CTA).

"LaLiga and CVC want to control the club. LaLiga has not accepted that Barça did not sign the CVC contract and that we found alternative solutions that were better for Barça's interests. I believe that they want to lead us to a situation that stifles us financially and that we have to become an S.A. (limited company, while the club still operates under the status…