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Barcelona could face a Champions League ban after being charged with bribery of referees.
According to Spanish outlet El Debate, judge Joaquin Aguirre has accused Barcelona of bribery in relation to payments of around £6million to former vice president of the Technical Committee of Referees Jose Maria Enruquez Negreira.
Spanish media including AS had previously reported that Barcelona paid €7million (£6.1m) to Negreira between 2001 and 2018 for 'undocumented' verbal advice that would supposedly ensure neutral treatment from referees during fixtures.
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Former presidents Josep Maria Bartomeu and Sandro Rosell, as well as former official Negreira and his son Javier Enriquez Romero have all been charged.
The law states that no official can receive reward for completing the performance of public duties, with the decision motivated by the stance of the Supreme Court which classes Negreira as a person who performed a public function.
Barca president Joan Laporta has so far avoided talking about the scandal, which could result in a Champions League ban for Xavi's side.
It had been alleged that Negreira received the cash via a shell company set up by former Barcelona director Josep Contreras, who allegedly earned 50% commission.
The update from the judge comes as a blow to Xavi and his players after the returned to form last season to beat Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid to LaLiga glory.
Barca are again top of the table this time out as they look to crown their Champion League return with a first triumph in the competition since 2014/15.
LaLiga President Javier Tebas had previously called for Barcelona president Laporta to provide an explanation for the matter, Rafael Yuste, the club’s vice-president, then offered an update.
He said on Barca TV that a law firm has been hired to start an investigation in order to have full transparency with club members, with the payments to Negreira's Dasnil company only stopping in 2018.
After the details were made public, former referee Alberto Gimenez claims to have been called a chicken by Negreira in a 'secret match-fixing meeting'.
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Speaking on RadioMarca, Gimenez said that he had been pressured by Negreira during a meeting that took place alongside other referees.
He said: "Negreira pressured me. He met me with other referees and told me: 'Hey chicken, be careful with what you say on television. You already understand me. Be careful'.
"There is a formula for fixing matches. It’s a fool’s trap: I’m a friend of 'such and such' who will support you, you give me so much and I’ll fix it for you.
"If the result is negative, the money is returned. If he wins, he is marked for life. If he loses and returns the money, he has another chance."
- Barcelona FC
- La Liga
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