Ex-Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu confirms payments to company of VP of referees

Former Barcelona President Josep Maria Bartomeu has had his say on the scandal enveloping Barcelona, after it was revealed that for three years they contracted the services of Dasnil 95, a company headed by Vice-President of Referees Enriquez Negreira. The company provided scouting services and verbal reports during that period, amounting to €1.4m in bills.

Negreira’ income is being investigated by the tax authorities, but Barcelona are not, and are unlikely to face punishment. Negreira could be sanctioned by the RFEF (Spanish Football Federation) may be in trouble over a conflict of interests.

Speaking to El Periodico de Catalunya (via Sport), Bartomeu defended the use of Negreira’s company.

“They are necessary and useful, they are used by all the clubs. They are reports on arbitration that reach the first team and subsidiary coaches, the delegates, the players themselves… Enríquez Negreira’s son did them with absolute professionalism.”‘

Negreira’s son, Javier Enriquez Romero, was the one in charge of delivering the reports. While the services of the company imply Barcelona wanted to get on referee’s good side, Bartomeu was clear that they were not helped by them.

“[Barcelona] have never been helped by referees. Much more the opposite.”

Bartomeu also continued along the same lines as current President Joan Laporta, lamenting the fact that he news had come from Madrid, and also stating that it is normal for clubs to pay a consultant for this kind of advice.

The issue is that most clubs do not pay someone actively involved with the refereeing comittee, nor do they pay them €1.4m to do so. Regardless of whether it is normal practice to do so, the choice of person raises serious questions of judgement at the minimum.

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