Atletico Madrid CEO Enrique Cerezo has dismissed the idea that Barcelona have bought referees as part of the Caso Negreira investigation.
Institutionally, Atletico have been one of the more frustrated sides with Barcelona, demanding explanations from the club over their payments to Dasnil 95 and Vice-President of the Referees Committee Enriquez Negreira.
However Cerezo has declared that in his mind at least, there is no change that Barcelona are guilty of the particular crime of buying referees.
“I know what you can know and until it is proven, really, what there is, everything will be assumptions. I have been in football for 35 years and I have never felt, heard, or thought that you can buy a referee. It is very difficult to buy a match. I don’t understand how you can buy a referee. This is the first time I’ve heard of it and I can say that I’ve never had any suspicious experience, neither against Barcelona nor against anyone.”
Cerezo made the comments to Pozuelo IN (via Diario AS), where he also backed Diego Simeone to remain at the club.
Several major actors in Spanish football, including La Liga President Javier Tebas, have maintained that while they do not believe that Barcelona tried to fix matches, they may have sought influence.
At this point it is pure speculation, and Anti-Corruption Department are charged with finding proof of that intention. Running parallel to that is the UEFA investigation which threatens to punish Barcelona in European competition should they be found falling foul of the rules.
