Further statements and counter-statements continue to emerge following the revelations about Barcelona’s payments to Enriquez Negreira’s company Dasnil 95. According to former President Joan Gaspart, they did not occur during his era, despite claims from Josep Maria Bartomeu to the contrary.
Dasnil 95, headed by Negreira, received payments totalling €1.4m from 2016-2018 for consultancy services on players and referees while Negreira was still Vice-President for the Techincal Committee of Referees. Joan Laporta and Bartomeu have both claimed this is normal, with the latter saying that it had been occurring since before his time, all the way back in 2001, under Gaspart.
Acording to Gaspart, speaking to Cadena SER, he never sanctioned anything of the sort.
“No, in my presidency I was not aware of any of these payments. I think that if I did not know that these reports were made, it is because they were not made. The presidents are aware of everything that is paid. To me this is something strange and it smells bad. I am absolutely sure that Barça have never done it. The image of Barca is not being discredited because it is not true. I don’t feel discredited for something I haven’t done.”
However he did go on to defend Barcelona’s innocence in all of it.
“Barca have not done anything at all that Cules should be ashamed of. Barcelona have not broken any laws, I don’t see the problem.”
“I’m protecting Barca, not myself. I have to protect it, I don’t think they’ve done anything consciously wrong like what we’re talking about with the referees. I’m convinced they haven’t done so.”
It is the tax authorities that are investigating Negreira, and Barcelona are unlikely to face any sanctions. Many have pointed out that at the very least, it was not a morally responsible choice to contract Negreira.
