Barcelona, Spain. FC Barcelona announced this Friday the filing of a conciliation claim prior to the filing of a lawsuit for alleged slander against Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, following statements made by the Madrid executive last May.
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As reported by the blue-and-red entity through an official statement, the legal action responds to statements in which Pérez allegedly accused the Catalan club of corruption, of financially favoring referees, and of systematically benefiting from refereeing decisions, in reference to the well-known “Negreira case”.
Barcelona maintains that these statements were made “with knowledge of their falsehood” and considers that they seriously affect the image, prestige, and institutional reputation of the club.
The entity explained that the main objective of the lawsuit is to achieve a public retraction by the president of Real Madrid. However, it warned that, should a satisfactory response not be forthcoming, it will proceed with the filing of a criminal complaint before the competent courts.
Days before the announcement, Barcelona’s acting president, Rafael Yuste, announced that the institution’s legal department was prepared to take legal action with the purpose of defending the club’s name.
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“We will see each other in court. No one will tarnish the name of Barça,” Yuste stated during a public appearance, reiterating the board’s confidence in the legal process.
The controversy occurs amidst the development of the so-called “Negreira case,” an investigation that analyzes the payments made by Barcelona between 2001 and 2018 to José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees.
While the Prosecutor’s Office maintains the suspicion that said payments could have influenced the refereeing sphere, the blue and red club insists that the contracted services corresponded to technical reports and advice related to refereeing.
The dispute opens a new chapter in the historic rivalry between Barcelona and Real Madrid, this time moved off the pitch and into the courts.
