Referee Scandal in Spain: Laporta Attacks Real Madrid After 70 Years of Control
Spanish football fans are preparing for a strong surprise with the release of Joan Laporta, the former president of FC Barcelona, his new book "How We Saved Barcelona," set to hit the shelves on February 24.
In this work, Laporta reveals the secrets of the club's management during his second term, disclosing exciting events related to refereeing and the financial crisis that plagued the club over five years.
In a shocking statement, Laporta claimed that the appointment of referees in La Liga and the Copa del Rey over the past 70 years has been under the control of Real Madrid members, its players, or former directors, describing it as "the biggest scandal in the history of football in Spain."
He added that some heads of refereeing committees were Real Madrid fans, former players, or former directors, often combining all three roles.
Laporta also addressed the Negreira case, emphasizing that there is no conclusive evidence that the amounts paid to companies linked to the former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees influenced referee appointments or match outcomes.
He called on anyone accusing Barcelona of refereeing corruption to provide specific evidence: "Specify the match, the goal, or the favor we received as a result of this technical advice."
It is worth noting that Florentino Pérez, president of Real Madrid, recently described the Negreira case as the biggest scandal in the history of global football, calling for the Spanish judiciary to investigate and punish Barcelona, to which Laporta responded in his book by detailing Barcelona's position over seven decades.
In addition to the refereeing files, the book presents details of the club's management of the devastating financial crisis, and the innovative solutions Laporta implemented to correct the chaotic situation, as well as the departure of the famous trio Lionel Messi, Ronald Koeman, and Xavi Hernandez, and the highly controversial Super League issue.
It is noted that Laporta, who resigned from the presidency of Barcelona, plans to return for the upcoming elections, making this book an important window for understanding his career and his controversial positions alike.
