Joan Laporta’s Negreira Case Response Is Just Another Vicious Attack on Real Madrid

Barcelona president Joan Laporta didn’t hold back in a brutal tirade against Real Madrid, accusing Los Blancos of trying to “discredit Barça” and “harming football” with their insistence to extend the Negreira case.

During the recent international break, UEFA announced Real Madrid submitted “a substantial amount of documents related to the ongoing investigation into Barcelona in the matter involving José María Enríquez Negreira.” Los Blancos president Florentino Pérez promised this would happen soon after winning Real Madrid’s presidential elections early in the summer.

Barcelona are accused of paying over €7 million ($7.9 million) in bribes to a company owned by Negreira, the former vice president of Spanish soccer’s refereeing committee, in an effort to get favorable refereeing decisions. The Catalans maintain their innocence and have even filed a lawsuit against Pérez, but with the topic back stealing headlines, Laporta unleashed against Real Madrid.

“On the Negreira case,” Laporta said on Saturday, “I’ve grown tired of saying it but I won’t stop making it clear that they tried to condemn us before judging us. Now that they are judging us, it’s being shown that there is nothing to what they accused us of and that this will end, as I fully believe, with Barça’s acquittal.

“They have relentlessly and constantly tried to discredit us and harm Barça’s image and they are going to have to rectify. There will be time to speak about this once there’s a sentence, but as you know, they are trying to extend this case as much as possible to keep the flame alive.

“But it’s going nowhere. They are trying to discredit Barça, but I don’t think they are doing it innocently. They want to harm football.”

Laporta Says Real Madrid Are ‘Losing Prestige’

Handshake between Joan Laporta and Florentino Pérez — Joan Laporta (left) has a fierce rivalry with Florentino Pérez. | Alberto Gardin/NurPhoto/Getty Images

Defending Barça’s stance in regards to the Negreira case wasn’t the only topic Laporta covered; he also took his Real Madrid attack a step further, saying the 15-time European champions are “losing prestige.”

“They [Real Madrid] are against everything,” Laporta stated. “You go to every institution, you go to UEFA, to the Euro League and they are against everything and everyone. This says a lot about the attitude of a team that is losing prestige, recognition and credibility on a national and international level.

“This is just some evidence, the other day I was at the general assembly of the European Football Clubs and they didn’t even have representation. They adopt a very prepotent, overbearing and arrogant attitude and they’ll know what they’re doing, but this creating them a massive loss of credibility.”

“I think they should analyze and be self-critical about this,” Laporta added. “Because to me it’s completely out of place and improper.”

Real Madrid Attempting to Ruin Barça’s ‘Sweet Moment’

Anthony Gordon celebrating his first Barcelona goal. — Barcelona have had a dream start of the 2026–27 season. | David Ramos/Getty Images

Barcelona have dominated Spanish soccer over the past two years, winning back-to-back La Liga titles plus another three domestic trophies to Real Madrid’s zero since Hansi Flick took over. Under the German boss, the Catalans have won six Clásicos to Madrid’s one, including three wins in finals.

The 2026–27 season has started in similar fashion, with Barça perfect through nine games in all competitions and already six points clear of an unconvincing Real Madrid. As a result, Laporta believes Los Blancos’ constantly bringing up the Negreira case is a strategy to divert attention from what’s happening on the pitch.

“At Madrid they talk about other topics to divert attention,” Laporta said. “In that sense, Barça is going through a sweet moment. We are enjoying football, enjoying the club, enjoying a beautiful moment in our history or important worldwide recognition.

“We have nine players that were in the squad of the World Cup champion, we have a team that makes people fall in love with their football, players at certain positions that are a reference in the football world. We receive praise from everywhere. From Madrid they are trying to minimize all of this.”

It’s unknown when UEFA will reach a final verdict on the Negreira case, but what’s true is that the levels of bad blood between Spain‘s biggest rivals are reaching sky-high levels with less than a month to go before their first meeting of the season.

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