Barcelona the club will stand accused of continuous corruption alongside former President Josep Maria Bartomeu following the Caso Negreira revelations. However another Barcelona President could also be in hot water, depending on the evidence that comes to light.
According to Sport, Sandro Rosell could join successor Bartomeu and former Executives Oscar Grau and Albert Soler on the stand. If it is ruled as a continuous crime, then the period on the statute of limitations could be extended from five years to ten years. Currently it only stretches back to the period encompassing Bartomeu’s tenure, but an extension to ten years would put Rosell under the microscope too.
If found guilty, any of the names above could face between six months and four years in prison. The consequences for Barcelona are not yet clear, although in an unlikely event, they could face dissolution or suspension of their ability to practice.
Current Barcelona President Laporta has said that all will be explained in a press conference following the completion of an internal investigation into the matter, but stated categorically that Barcelona have ‘never bought referees.
